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Graham Moore, who stood for the English Constitution Party (ECP) at the May 1 election, finished last out of 15 candidates – picking up 50 votes. But he now alleges that number did not tally with what he felt he should have received. He now wants the result to be declared void.
The High Court is the country’s top civil court and anyone is allowed to ask it to make a ruling on a matter – a process known as ‘petitioning the court’. In his petition, he also made allegations pertaining to the Royal Mail and Cheshire Police in the run-up to the election.
It said: “The petitioner challenges the result of the said by-election on the grounds that the vote count was erroneous and/or deliberately fraudulent, compounded by Royal Mail’s interference through non-delivery of pre-approved election communication leaflets, Cheshire Constabulary’s harassment of the ECP campaign, and the police’s failure to investigate election interference, including the removal of an ECP Wikipedia page.”
He also took issue with the fact he received 50 votes despite having been interviewed on live social media accounts with large followings. It added: “This amount of local social media support does not tally with 50 votes.”
Mr Moore, who lives in Kent, also said it was ‘impossible’ that he should receive 50 votes twice – having also received exactly 50 votes when he previously stood for election in Tooting in 2016.
The petition added: “The probability of receiving exactly 50 votes in two unrelated parliamentary elections, nine years apart, in separate constituencies under councils controlled by mainstream parties – Labour and Conservative – protecting the status quo, is not just strange but impossible.”
It added: “The interference disproportionately harmed candidates like the petitioner, who paid the £500 deposit to stand, creating a chilling effect on passive democracy by discouraging non- mainstream candidates from participating, as only candidates with greater resources can overcome such obstacles.”
His petition called for the election to be declared void and for an independent recount of every individual ballot at a ‘neutral location’.
A Cheshire Police spokesman said: “We are aware of the petition by the English Constitution Party in relation to the recent by-election in Runcorn and Helsby. As this is an ongoing legal matter it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this time.”
The by-election was triggered following the resignation of Labour’s Mike Amesbury after he was jailed for assault, with Reform’s Sarah Pochin winning the vote.
The hearing will be held this Friday by the King’s Bench at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
