A PROXY vote row erupted in Pendle today as a top Liberal claimed he had uncovered evidence of election fraud.

Party election agent, Tony Greaves, said there was mounting evidence of bogus proxy applications - which could swing results in next week's council elections - and called for a full dossier to be drawn up.

He said he would send it to Returning Officer, Stephen Barnes and the police, with a call for all cases of alleged corruption to be fully investigated.

The Liberal Party boss warned that if there are close results at next week's polls, they could result in "lengthy legal battles."

But Labour said Coun Greaves was "running scared." and added that many proxy votes were from Liberals.

Coun Greaves said several hundred proxy votes - which allow a person to vote on behalf of an elector who cannot personally attend a polling station - had been registered in Whitefield Ward alone - the area at the heart of a ,major proxy vote row between Labour and the Liberals two years' ago. There were also large numbers in the keenly-contested Bradley and Walverden wards, he added.

Coun Greaves said his investigations had convinced him that some of the applications were fraudulent.

He called for all parties to work together to stamp out wrong-doing and added he feared some elements had been playing "fast and loose" with the election process.

But Labour today hit back and claimed Coun Greaves was trying to divert attention because his party was under pressure in the elections.

Spokesman Coun Azhar Ali said: "We would welcome an inquiry.

"We called for one and the tightening up of the proxy process when things blew up in Whitefield two years ago, but Coun Greaves and his party rejected the call."

Coun Ali added: "We have checked the position and we are confident all our applications are legitimate, but it is interesting to note that most of the hundreds of applications come from the Liberals. Coun Greaves is simply running scared."

Mr Barnes was not available for comment today.

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