Mr SHAZAD ANWAR AND THE ELECTORAL REGISTERS IN PENDLE AND BURNLEY

Early day motion 166, tabled 23 May 2005 by Gordon Prentice (Labour). Signed by 14 members.

That this House recalls that the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate for Pendle in the May election, Mr Shazad Anwar, repeatedly told voters that he lived locally with his wife, Shaista, at 34 Kibble Grove, Reedley, omitting any mention in his innumerable election leaflets that the current Pendle electoral register also lists Afrasaib Anwar, his brother and Farzana Kauser and Rizwana Kauser, his sisters, at that address and also at 50-52 Grey Street in the Burnley electoral register; notes that, when this came to light, Mr Anwar told the local press on 29th April that it was a mistake and that his father must have returned the Burnley form without omitting their names; further notes that Afrasaib Anwar and Rizwana Kauser appear on last year's Pendle register too and again on the Burnley one along with Farzana Kauser; further notes his statement to the press that his two sisters and brother live with him and his wife and they would not be voting twice; reminds Mr Anwar, a practising solicitor, that it is an offence to certify on an electoral registration form that people are living at an address when they are not; urges the police and Pendle's returning officer, Mr Stephen Barnes, to investigate the matter with expedition; supports the Electoral Commission's recommendation for individual voter registration as a necessary first step to clean up elections and restore confidence in the integrity of the ballot; and calls on the Government to bring forward the proposed Electoral Administration Bill as a matter of urgency.

Signatures by party: Labour 14.