[Yug]

Released with a lot less fanfare than the allegations:

Also on the BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyxeqpzz2no


Though, of course, the grifting fascist isn't happy

...GMP said there was "no evidence to suggest any intent to influence or refrain a person from voting as stated in the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023" but Farage called it an "establishment whitewash".

He hit out at GMP's decision to close the probe, adding: "This isn't good enough.

"We need proper oversight, real accountability and the courage to admit when something isn't right, not another brushed-under-the-carpet report from the usual suspects."...

You lost. Get over it.

[mattomac]

All this has done is raised issues over this "Democracy Volunteers" group, who seem to have put out a statement and then only provided detailed information a week after. There numbers also seem a little skewered, they suggested it was a high percentage but 32 cases over 15 polling centres doesn't particularly suggest the 15% figure they were touting.

Apparently though they saw it happen and they had to make it public minutes after the polls closed, however they can't provide a single description of these people or any timings of the incidents, they also didn't mention it to a single member of staff and to cap it all off they suggested they saw no wrong doing.

Volunteers were unable to provide descriptions of those allegedly involved, or timings - and no details were documented by observers.

"We have spoken to the four Democracy Volunteers observers present at polling stations on the day of the by-election - 26 February - who have shared with us their eyewitness account," police said

"This includes some instances of more than one voter going into a booth at the same time, and instances of people looking over the shoulder of voters.

"The information they have provided to us estimates this may have happened on 32 occasions across 15 polling stations.

"The observers do not allege any verbal instruction or physical conduct that indicated one person was directing or coercing another regarding how to vote."

"The absence of this information means there is no remaining reasonable line of enquiry," police added.

I don't think the police can go off vibes, I would if I was the Joseph Rowntree Foundation consider my funding as this lot seem compromised.

[The Weeping Angel]

[davidjay]

This is the sort of thing that's win-win for Farage. He makes a complaint and it's upheld, he's unearthed corruption. When it's rejected, it shows what he's up against.

[mattomac]

The police do need to go off something…. There isn’t anything.

[Tubby Isaacs]

There seems to have been at most an issue with training, or a reluctance/ inability to uphold the rules in some cases. We had very old poll volunteers in our polling station once. I doubt they’d have been able to do anything in these instances.

I agree that the statement by Democracy Volunteers made it sound worse than it was. And Goodwin lost by over 4,400, not 32. Polling for Reform hasn’t improved since either.

[Bones McCoy]

This was the first time I'd heard of Democracy Volunteers.

My initial instinct was "some astroturf bunch funded by the usual suspects".
I've seen too many Tufton Street shenanigans.
A bit of digging showed they've been about for a while and seemed politically neutral.

They've hardly proved effective with their post-poll statements.

My cynicism now wonders how hard it would be for a well funded "movement" to infiltrate Democracy Volunteers for their own ends.