BONA FIDES OF BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY CANDIDATES

Early day motion 684, tabled 25 May 1999 by Frank Cook (Labour). Signed by 30 members.

That this House notes with dismay that for the forthcoming Euro-elections, three candidates for the constituency of the North East of England, i.e., John Bowles, Alan Gould and Colin Smith, have given false addresses on their nomination papers; that to date there is no proof that the named individuals actually exist; that the British National Party seems determined to engage this ploy deliberately in order to secure the considerable benefits of the Representation of the People Act in the form of guaranteed broadcasting time on radio and television and free postal deliveries to households throughout the United Kingdom; that these benefits are provided at direct costs to the British taxpayer; condemns this abuse of electoral law as an outrage; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government to act swiftly to close this loophole by requiring prompt, proper and verifiable checks of the bona fides of all candidates seeking support in government elections at whatever level.

Signatures by party: Labour 24, Liberal Democrat 4, Conservative 1, Labour/Co-operative 1.