Police To Investigate Lambeth Council Elections

Andy Thornley
By Andy Thornley Last edited 116 months ago
Police To Investigate Lambeth Council Elections

Lambeth Town Hall
Lambeth Town Hall

The Metropolitan Police are investigating whether any criminal offence has been committed after a Labour councillor was forced to resign when it was discovered she was ineligible to stand in the recent local elections.

Former councillor Sonia Wilfrid stood for election in the Knights Hill ward of the borough; however as an employee of Lambeth Council, she was barred from becoming a councillor. Wilfrid is employed as a teaching assistant in Clapham Manor School.

Wilfrid has called the error an “innocent and silly mistake”, however it will also be an expensive one for the council, as a Freedom of Information request revealed the cost of the resulting by-election for the seat will be £15,835.

The Met told the Brixton Buzz website:

“We can confirm we have received an allegation that a candidate in the recent local elections in Lambeth was ineligible to stand for election.

“Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime and Operations Command are investigating the allegation and enquiries continue. No arrests at this stage.”

The by-election for the seat will take place on 14 August 2014.

Last Updated 24 July 2014