Labour councillor who committed electoral offence urged to resign

The newly-elected Labour councillor who was caught having committed an electoral offence earlier this year has been urged to stand down.

Spotland and Falinge ward councillor Faisal Rana was given a police caution after voting in two different wards in this year’s local elections.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/121301/rochdale-councillor-accepts-police-caution-for-electoral-offence

According to the Electoral Commission, if you are registered to vote in two different electoral areas, you can vote in local elections for two different local councils.

However, it is an offence to vote twice in the same type of election, which could result in a fine of up to £5,000.

Independent candidate Carl Faulkner, who received the second-highest number of votes for the Spotland and Falinge ward, said: "Faisal Rana, like most cheats, is not as smart as he thinks he is.

"I had a good idea of what he was up to several weeks before the election. It was just a matter of waiting for the right time to bring his sordid little secret to the attention of the police.

"Only when caught out, do cheats and fraudsters attempt to make insincere apologies for their actions. The really hard-faced ones amongst them continue to deceive by making excuses for their dishonest behaviour.

"This is what we have with Labour councillor Faisal Rana, who actually expects people to believe his laughable claim that he mistakenly obtained two votes due to his ignorance of basic electoral law.

"Labour councillor Faisal Rana did not innocently obtain his fraudulent second vote by ‘mistake’. Firstly, he purposely selected an address of convenience, where he did not live. He then wilfully completed the registration process, which if answered honestly, is designed to prevent someone obtaining two votes. He then went on to apply for a postal vote. At the subsequent election he carefully completed and returned that unlawfully obtained postal vote.

"I informed the police of my suspicions on the day of the election. At the time, it was made clear to me that it was not something that would be investigated. It was only because of my persistence that an investigation actually did commence some weeks later.

"If Labour councillor Faisal Rana hasn’t got the decency to resign, he should be shunned by councillors from all parties, he should be made to feel a pariah, but he won’t be. If the best that the bumbling, blustering leader of the council can say, is: "I am disappointed in Councillor Rana’s error because he is a very talented and hardworking individual", then it shows the depths to which the standards expected of our town’s councillors have sunk.

"I have written to both the Electoral Commission and the Attorney General about this matter. I would urge others to let them know just how they feel about the fact that this dishonest councillor has not ended up in court.

"Attention of Attorney General, Geoffrey Cox MP correspondence@attorneygeneral.gov.uk

"Attention of Sir John Holmes Chairman, Electoral Commission info@electoralcommission.org.uk"

Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Councillor Andy Kelly said: “I think this is an extremely serious offence.

“It is absolutely staggering at what councillors can do before Labour will take action on their behaviour. There’s investigations and police arrests, and there seems to be the assumption that councillors are above the law.

“When will the Labour party stop taking the **** out of Rochdale?”

Councillor Kelly added: “I, for one, will never trust Faisal again.

“If he has any moral fibre, he would resign, but I don’t expect he will.”

Conservative Councillor Patricia Sullivan said: “I was aware of this incident and am pleased that the councillor concerned did go voluntarily to the police. However, everyone in our democracy surely knows that it is one person one vote, and perhaps now he should consider his position.”

She added: “Maybe this should now be put before the Standards Committee.”

Leader of the Conservative party, Councillor Ashley Dearnley, has also been contacted for comment.