10:20am Tuesday 9th March 2010
By Tom Moseley
POLICE are investigating a political leaflet that has been delivered to homes in Darwen amid concerns it breached electoral law.
The publication, which consists of a number of attacks on the For Darwen Party, was delivered weeks before voters go to the polls at the local elections.
Blackburn with Darwen council chief executive and returning officer Graham Burgess said: “There were some procedural matters which gave me concern around this leaflet.
"Therefore I have referred it to the police to be investigated.”
The leaflet, titled 'What you say about the ‘For Darwen’ Party' 'Darwen Deserves Better', contains a list of quotes, which are mostly anonymous, about the party headed by deputy council leader Tony Melia.
It could fall foul of the Political Parties and Elections Act, which requires any political leaflet to state where it was printed and who it was published by.
The name Jack Shirra is listed as the publisher at the bottom of the leaflet.
But when contacted by the Lancashire Telegraph at his DIY store in Duckworth Street, Mr Shirra declined to confirm whether he was the source.
He said: “I am not willing to say anything.”
In a statement, the For Darwen Party said: “It just goes to prove how scared someone is of our party and the things we have achieved in the few years we have existed.
"We would also like to thank the public for the many messages of support we have received since the leaflet was distributed.”
A Lancashire police spokesman said: “Details of this matter have been passed to the police and we will be making inquiries into the source of the leaflet.”
A third of Blackburn with Darwen’s councillors are up for election on May 6.
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