Bradford Council supports use of identity cards in bid to tackle electoral fraud

It comes as the district is again highlighted by the Electoral Commission as being at risk of electoral fraud ahead of May's general and council elections.

The commission is working with returning officers and the police to prevent electoral fraud. But the elections watchdog has highlighted that a lack of activity by the mainstream political parties in areas where there is a large Pakistani or Bangladeshi community can make these areas more vulnerable to fraud. A "political void" in some communities is filled by an"ethnic kinship network" which acts as a middle-man between the electoral system and these communities, the research suggests.

It also highlights that the commission is currently considering how to develop a scheme for verifying the identity of electors at polling stations, and is to detail its proposals by the end of the year.

Suzan Hemingway, interim chief executive of Bradford Council and returning officer for elections, welcomed the reports from the Electoral Commission.

She said: "We took the opportunity to contribute to their review of electoral fraud last year, when we made clear our support for introducing proof of identity at polling stations, which would require a change in the law.

"Many of the activities recommended by the Electoral Commission to counter the risk of election fraud have already been put in place in Bradford district.

"This includes electronic checking of postal vote identifiers and scrutiny of records and the applications received. We analyse data and historic patterns, which contributes towards the operational plans on the lead-up to and on election day."

She added: "We will continue to work closely with the Electoral Commission and West Yorkshire Police to support democracy in fair and transparent elections, so the public can have full confidence in the outcomes."

Jenny Watson, chairman of the Electoral Commission, said: "Proven cases of electoral fraud remain rare, but it is important that no-one underestimates how serious it is when it does occur. We have long known that, when fraud is committed, candidates and campaigners are the most likely offenders and voters are the victims. The research we have published today confirms this.

“The research also provides a useful insight into some of the particular issues faced by voters in some British Pakistani and British Bangladeshi communities, and how these can be tackled."

In a key fraud investigation in Bradford in 2005, postal vote applications were rigged in the run-up to the General Election as part of a failed attempt to fix the result.

IConservative supporter Alyas Khan, then 51, then of Hilton Road, Bradford, was later jailed for conspiracy to defraud after pleading guilty. Four other men were also jailed after a trial, but were later cleared on appeal.