Mr Galloway Is Back

OurCreature · Post by **OurCreature** » Fri Mar 01, 2024 6:53 am

in Westminster, having won the Rochdale by-election by nearly 6,000 votes. I'm sure that the whole nation is grateful to Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party for making this possible.

eccles · Post by **eccles** » Fri Mar 01, 2024 11:46 am

Rochdale has form regarding odd MPs, the dreadful Cyril Smith for instance. But Mr Galloway won't be there for long, maybe nine months.

Furby · Post by **Furby** » Mon Mar 04, 2024 4:15 am

Two MPs have to walk new MPs into the commons and no one wants to do it so two might have to be told they have to. David davis was going to do it on a free speech ticket but probably now the pm has officially said how upset he is about Mr Galloway winning Mr Davis won't want to upset his boss.

Rochdale had nearly half its vote in postal votes which is a lot when it's supposed to just be people on holidays or too old and sick to walk a mile from their house. The new rules about making people show photo id to vote in person might have something to do with it that's not needed for postal votes.

My passport expires at Xmas and I am waiting to see if there's an election I need it for. Even if I end up voting monster raving loony which is looking more likely the only sensible choice. Not sure I can get a new passport now I don't know any professional people any more. Probably needs sorting somehow because is needed for banks etc as well. We can get a council card for voting but can't be used in banks otherwise I would do that.

OurCreature · Post by **OurCreature** » Mon Mar 04, 2024 7:28 am

Rochdale had nearly half its vote in postal votes

43.2% or 13,460 - more than Mr Galloway's majority of 12,335. For comparison 10,573 postal votes were cast in the 2019 general election. Mr Farage is calling for an investigation.

I had a look at what info you need to provide to get a postal vote and it isn't much - date of birth, NI number and a signature. I wonder how easily NI numbers can be faked and whether the local authority has access to checks such as whether the NI number belongs to a dead person.

In practice there is no reason why you can't have a postal vote; apparently your own personal convenience is sufficient reason to have a postal vote these days. Per the Electoral Commission:-

You can also choose to vote by post simply because it would be more convenient for you.