MP responds after printers admit leaflet error
BBCA Reform MP has insisted the party "has done nothing wrong" following claims it broke electoral law with a leaflet it sent out ahead of the Gorton and Denton by-election.
The party sent out a letter designed to look as if it was handwritten by local resident Patricia Clegg, who said she no longer wanted to vote Labour, but who was in fact working for Reform, The Mill reported.
However, the letter did not identify the promoter of the material, which is against electoral law. Greater Manchester Police confirmed it was investigating.
Reform's Helsby and Runcorn MP Sarah Pochin told BBC Politics North West the party had behaved correctly and it was an error by the printers.
Hardings Print Solutions Limited has apologised.
Pochin said: "The letter was correct at the time it went to printers with the correct endorsement on it.
"Reform have done nothing wrong and the printers have taken full responsibility."
She said the woman shown in the leaflet was a "real constituent" who had "fallen out of love with Labour" and no longer wanted to vote for the party despite being a Labour voter all her life.
She added: "Reform did everything right.
"They signed it off and it went to the printers as it should have done."
PA MediaA Greater Manchester Police spokesman confirmed that a report was received and "we will be investigating this".
A statement from the Electoral Commission said: "All printed material promoting a candidate at an election is required to include an imprint identifying the promoter and printer of the material, so voters know who is responsible for it.
"Failing to include an imprint in candidate election material is an offence.
"Enforcement of imprint requirements for candidate material is a matter for the police."
A spokesman for Hardings Print Solutions said: "We take our responsibilities in relation to election material very seriously and take full responsibility for this error occurring.
"Reform UK did not request or authorise the removal of the imprint.
"The omission arose from Hardings Printers' production process."
The by-election was triggered by former Labour Andrew Gwynne standing down on medical grounds.
It will be held on Thursday 26 February, with the result expected to be announced in the early hours of Friday morning.
GB News presenter and academic turned activist Matt Goodwin has been chosen as the Reform candidate.
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