Plymouth Labour volunteer shares postal vote images online

Parliamentary candidate Luke Pollard said his volunteer felt very bad that a "media circus had been created"

A Labour Party member in Plymouth has been criticised for sharing images of a postal vote on social media.

Baz Ahmed tweeted a picture he was sent of a postal vote for Labour election candidate Luke Pollard, that revealed the voter's name and ballot paper number.

The tweet has since been deleted.

Plymouth Sutton and Devonport candidate Mr Pollard said on Twitter he advised his team and others "not to share" such pictures.

Critics on social media said the move may have broken data protection and electoral laws.

Mr Ahmed - whose Twitter profile says he is BAME officer for the Plymouth Sutton and Devonport Constituency Labour Party - said on social media that photos were sent to him of the paper "not the ballot sent to me".

'Committing an offence'

Plymouth City Council, which issued the ballot paper, said the matter had been referred to the police and the Electoral Commission.

The Electoral Commission said it was a matter for the local "police force election lead" and it took "the secrecy and security of the ballot very seriously".

It pointed out its rules said a postal voter could "take a picture of their own postal ballot paper and publicise, including via social media".

However, it added "if someone else persuades or induces them to make this information available, they would be committing an offence".

Mr Pollard said on Twitter that volunteer Mr Ahmed "feels very bad that a media circus has been created by his tweet".

Devon and Cornwall Police said it "could not confirm nor deny whether any named individual is or has been subject to a police investigation".

The candidates for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport are:

• Green - James Ellwood

• Labour -Luke Pollard

• Liberal Democrat - Graham Reed

• Conservative - Rebecca Smith

• The Brexit Party - Ann Widdecombe

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