Latest news with #HannahRobson
BBC News
a day ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Legal challenge launched over election dead heat
A Reform candidate in Worcestershire has petitioned the High Court to strike off what she claimed was a "fraudulent" result in May's county council Williams lost the contest for the Littletons division to Green Hannah Robson, after a rare dead heat saw both on 889 winning candidate was selected after two folded pieces of paper - each with a candidate's name - were placed in a ballot box, with one drawn at has contested the result, arguing the process breached electoral law and was open to fraud. May's election saw Worcestershire County Council slip into no overall Reform UK emerged as the largest party with 27 seats, they were left two short of a most dramatic moment came with the dead heat in the rural Littletons division, a count overseen by officers from Wychavon District CouncilThe ballot box name draw took place after several recounts confirmed both Williams and Robson had received 889 votes the draw, the Green candidate was declared the winner with 890. However, in a petition filed to the High Court, the Reform UK hopeful challenged the result, naming Robson as the beneficiary of alleged interference and fraudulent the petition, Williams argued she had not been allowed time at the 2 May count to seek independent legal advice and had not felt able to witness the entire process."I could not see the box for all of the preparation and was not included in that. I did not agree to a third person shuffling the papers," she wrote."Once in the ballot box, only the Returning Officer should have had their hand in the box". The petition also stated there had been insufficient official investigation by the council and West Mercia addition to the Green candiate, it was filed against Paul Robinson, the chief executive of Worcestershire County Council; Vic Allison, the deputy returning officer of Wychavon District Council; and Chris Harris, a detective at West Mercia Police."I'm doing this in the interests of democracy across the entire country," Williams told the a High Court hearing on Wednesday, a judge ordered the claims against Mr Robinson and Mr Harris to be struck out, and for Williams to cover their legal costs.A date for a further hearing has yet to be Mercia Police confirmed an investigation into the result had found no criminal offences had taken place."Should anything else come to light which might require a police response, we will investigate appropriately," the force said in a statement.A spokesman for Wychavon District Council said: "We are confident the election was delivered substantially within the law and we will present our case to the court at a future date.""While the case is being heard, I am getting on with the job I was elected to do, representing the people of the Littletons," Robson said."It wouldn't be appropriate for me to comment while this is a live High Court case." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Reform candidate opens court battle after losing election on ‘coin toss'
A Reform UK candidate who lost a council election when a tie was settled with a random draw has asked the High Court to overturn the result. Liz Williams was beaten by Hannah Robson, a Green party candidate, in May's local elections, after several counts left them tied on 889 votes. The counsellor for the Littletons ward, in Worcestershire, was then chosen at random. Two ballot papers were placed in a box and Ms Robson's name was drawn out to secure her the victory for the county council seat. Now Ms Williams has handed an 'election petition' to the High Court in London, claiming the result should be declared void as the victory was decided by a 'toss of the coin'. At a preliminary hearing this week, Mrs Justice Yip said the petition, naming Ms Robson and Vic Allison, the deputy returning officer, as respondents, will be decided at the High Court later this year. According to Ms Williams's petition, the 'result was determined only by folding and placing two used election ballot papers into a ballot box and the deputy returning officer pulling one out'. The petition states the process was 'open to fraud and corruption' and did not allow the candidates time to seek legal advice before they were 'pressured into accepting the process in principle'. Ms Williams said she was not able to 'witness the entire process without obstruction'. She added: 'I could not see the box for all of the preparation and was not included in that. 'I did not agree to a third person shuffling the papers... Only the returning officer should have had their hand in the box.' Footage posted online shows the returning officer putting his hand into a large black box and pulling out a slip of paper, before declaring the winner. Ms Robson was said to have won by 890 to 889 votes. Ms Robson was not represented during the preliminary hearing this week, but Timothy Straker KC, representing the returning officer, said he would apply to dismiss Ms Williams' petition later this year. It is not the first time a council election in the UK has ended in a dead heat. In Blyth in 2007, the winner in one ward was chosen by the drawing of straws, while a candidate in Yorkshire in 2022 offered to play poker to decide the winner, before going on to draw straws. Electoral Commission guidance states: 'When two or more candidates have the same number of votes, and the addition of a vote would entitle any of those candidates to be declared elected, you must decide between the candidates by lot. 'Whichever candidate wins the lot is treated as though they had received an additional vote that enables them to be declared elected.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Reform UK candidate in court battle after losing election in bizarre ‘name out of the hat' draw
A Reform UK candidate beaten by a Green Party councillor in a bizarre 'name out of the hat'-style draw after an election dead heat is fighting to overturn the result in the High Court. The election was decided at random after recounts left Liz Williams and Green candidate Hannah Robson tied on 889 votes in a rural Worcestershire election in May. Two ballot papers were placed in a box, and Mrs Robson's name was pulled out, securing victory for the Green candidate, who took her seat on the county council. But Mrs Williams is now challenging the result after launching an "election petition" at the High Court in London, claiming that what happened was not fair. As well as citing various alleged irregularities during the vote and count process, Mrs Williams says her defeat was on the equivalent of a "toss of a coin" and that the election should be declared void. At a preliminary hearing this week, Mrs Justice Yip said the petition, naming Green Party candidate Mrs Robson and deputy returning officer Vic Allison as respondents, will be decided at the High Court later this year. The two women were rival candidates for the Littletons ward, which comprises three tiny villages, of Worcestershire County Council, when the unlikely dead heat occurred. According to Mrs Williams' petition, several counts resulted in the rivals being tied on 889 votes, with traditional party candidates behind. "The declared result was determined only by folding and placing two used election ballot papers into a ballot box and the deputy returning officer pulling one out," she says. "The petitioner believes this process was not carried out in accordance with due process of law, open to fraud and corruption and did not allow time for independent legal advice to be obtained when being pressured into accepting the process in principle. "I did not feel able to witness the entire process without obstruction, nor my concerns to be heard at the time. "I could not see the box for all of the preparation and was not included in that. "I did not agree to a third person shuffling the papers. Once in the ballot box, only the returning officer should have had their hand in the box." Footage posted online shows the returning officer putting his hand into a large black box and pulling out a slip of paper, before declaring her winner to cheers and applause in the counting room at Pershore Leisure Centre. Mrs Robson was declared to have won by 890 to 889 votes. Afterwards, she said: "I think I am still in shock and probably will be all weekend. This was just something - maybe next level. "I am feeling like I don't know whether to be sick or jump up in excitement. I have never seen something like this and I know the staff here hasn't either." Challenging the result, Mrs Williams says she wants, "a declaration that the said Hannah Robson was not elected by a due process of law, namely by the electorate as the Representation of Peoples Act 1983 provides; but by an equivalent of a 'toss of a coin' and therefore the election declaration be void." As well as complaints about the way the dead heat was decided, she complains of irregularities in the vote and count. Mrs Robson was not represented during the preliminary hearing this week, but Timothy Straker KC, representing the returning officer, said he would be applying to dismiss Mrs Williams' petition when the case comes back to court later this year. "It would be on the basis that the petition cannot proceed because, unfortunately, from the petitioner's point of view, it is out of time and the time cannot be extended," he said. As well as the winning candidate and the returning officer, Mrs Williams originally named local police and the council's chief executive in her petition. But the cases against them were struck out by Mrs Justice Yip, who said the rules only allow winning candidates and returning officers to be respondents to election petitions. Although very rare, it is not the first time a council election in the UK has ended in a dead heat between two candidates, leading to the winner being picked at random. In Blyth in 2007, the winner in one ward was chosen by the drawing of straws, while a candidate in Yorkshire in 2022 offered to play poker to decide the winner, before going on to draw straws too. Electoral Commission guidance to returning officers states: "When two or more candidates have the same number of votes, and the addition of a vote would entitle any of those candidates to be declared elected, you must decide between the candidates by lot. "Whichever candidate wins the lot is treated as though they had received an additional vote that enables them to be declared elected." Mrs Williams' challenge to the Littletons election result is expected to go ahead at the High Court after September.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Three takeaways from county council elections
Worcestershire County Council slipped into no overall control after Thursday's election with no party having a majority of councillors. Reform UK were the significant winners after the votes were counted as they now have 27 seats, two short of the number needed for overall control. The big losers were the Conservatives, who went from 45 councillors to 12. Here are three takeaways from the election: Almost every seat in the county was affected in some way by the swing towards Reform. Before this set of elections the relatively new party had never won a seat in the county; now it is the largest party with 27 councillors. Twenty-six of those gains – based off the 2021 results – were from the Conservatives. Before polling day, Reform candidates were optimistic but this result has far exceeded their expectations. Two seats short of an overall majority, they now face a decision - form a minority administration and try to go it alone or find a partner to run the county council with. The most dramatic moment of these elections came in the rural Littletons division, where the Green and Reform candidates had a dead heat - both on 889 votes. This meant a ballot was drawn with both their names being placed into a box and one drawn at random. Green candidate Hannah Robson's name came out, meaning she took seat from the Tories. She acknowledged it was not the ideal way to decide a vote but "that's what we have to work with". If these elections were evidence voters were disenchanted with the two main Westminster parties, Worcestershire's Greens were the other clear winners. The party now has eight seats on the county council, five more than in 2021. They managed to cement their strong position in Worcester itself, with music teacher and parliamentary candidate Tor Pingree defeating the Conservative council leader Simon Geraghty. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Reform makes big gains in Worcestershire Reform celebrates big wins in elections dubbed 'bloodbath' by Tories, as Starmer hits out at Farage Local elections 2025 in maps and charts Worcestershire County Council
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Three takeaways from Worcestershire County Council elections
Worcestershire County Council slipped into no overall control after Thursday's election with no party having a majority of UK were the significant winners after the votes were counted as they now have 27 seats, two short of the number needed for overall big losers were the Conservatives, who went from 45 councillors to are three takeaways from the election: Reform's rout of the Tories Almost every seat in the county was affected in some way by the swing towards Reform. Before this set of elections the relatively new party had never won a seat in the county; now it is the largest party with 27 of those gains – based off the 2021 results – were from the Conservatives. Before polling day, Reform candidates were optimistic but this result has far exceeded their expectations. Two seats short of an overall majority, they now face a decision - form a minority administration and try to go it alone or find a partner to run the county council with. Dead Heat The most dramatic moment of these elections came in the rural Littletons division, where the Green and Reform candidates had a dead heat - both on 889 meant a ballot was drawn with both their names being placed into a box and one drawn at random. Green candidate Hannah Robson's name came out, meaning she took seat from the acknowledged it was not the ideal way to decide a vote but "that's what we have to work with". Good day for the Greens If these elections were evidence voters were disenchanted with the two main Westminster parties, Worcestershire's Greens were the other clear winners. The party now has eight seats on the county council, five more than in 2021. They managed to cement their strong position in Worcester itself, with music teacher and parliamentary candidate Tor Pingree defeating the Conservative council leader Simon Geraghty. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
