CITY POLL RIOT
by David Bell and Mark Cowan
Evening Mail (Birmingham)
June 8 2004
Original here

Hundreds of people clashed in a fierce street battle as inner city election fever erupted into violence in Birmingham.

More than 200 campaigners from rival political parties went toe to toe in the Small Heath brawl, sparked by a row over the controversial use of postal votes.

The pitched battle between Labour and People's Justice Party supporters was ignited by the appearance of a postman with a bag.

"Some people tried to get the votes off him and were pinching them out of letterboxes -- then all hell broke loose," said an eyewitness.

"People were rushing out of their homes to join in the fight. Thugs and gangsters are targeting the postmen every day. Everything is getting out of control."

Police today called for calm in the Bordesley Green ward which has chalked up a city record with the highest number of postal votes ever recorded -- 8,500 out of a voting population of around 18,000.

The Somerville Road flashpoint came amid widespread reports of fraud and blank votes being collected by bogus door-to-door canvassers, and even being bought for £3 a time.

Police are investigating cases of approaches being made to postmen, one of whom was offered £500 for the contents of his sack bulging with blank votes.

In another incident, a street postbox filled with hundreds of votes has been set alight in Washwood Heath, a ward which has contributed 5,600 of the record 70,000 postal votes for Thursday's local elections.

Officers were today meeting community leaders to avoid a repeat of yesterday evening's trouble.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "It started at about 7pm on Somerville Road. It was supporters of the PJP and the Labour party who were arguing.

"It then moved down the road and the fighting actually happened in Dora Road."

Another neighbour, who also did not wish to be named, said: "It quickly spread down the road. You don't expect this kind of thing with politics."

A police spokesman confirmed today: "A large number of officers were deployed to deal with scenes of public disorder involving around 200 people in Somerville Road last night.

"Order was restored very quickly. One woman has been arrested for assault.

"Officers remained in the area throughout the evening. The incident is being investigated."

POSTIES IN FEAR OF VOTES GANGS
by David Bell and Mark Cowan
Evening Mail (Birmingham)
June 5 2004
Original here

City postmen are being targeted by political gangsters trying to steal blank postal votes for next week's elections.

West Midlands Police confirmed today they were investigating cases of mailmen being threatened with violence if they didn't hand over bags.

A postman in Bordesley Green was offered a £500 bribe to give up his sack of postal votes before they were delivered.

A friend told the Evening Mail: "He was shocked and very distressed because he believes his life could be in danger. He refused the bribe and got somebody to take him by car to the nearest police station."

The police investigation has been triggered by a complaint from the Royal Mail, it is believed.

There has been an explosion of postal voting in the city and politicians of all parties fear that the situation is wide open to fraud.

With low poll returns -- again particularly in inner city areas -- postal votes could mean the difference between success and failure, with a £14,000-a-year job as a city councillor going to the victor.

More than 70,000 blank votes are to be delivered before the June 10 polling day for city council and European Parliament seats, compared with 24,000 last year.

The incidence is highest in inner city wards, particularly Bordesley Green where 8,600 postal votes are being delivered.

The number of registered voters in the ward is only 18,000.

Other hot-spots are Washwood Heath, with 5,600 postal votes, Aston, with 5,257, and Spark-brook with 4,510.

In the outer suburbs Kingstanding has only 670, with Oscott, Selly Oak, and Perry Barr each having less than 800.

City leader Sir Albert Bore, who faces the end of 20 years' Labour control of Birmingham, said: "There is a lot going on in this election - particularly in the inner cities."

Liberal Democrat leader John Hemming, who has given police a dossier of abuses, said: "Political gangsters are at work following postmen on their rounds to see where the postal votes are delivered.

"We must have the worst set of electoral processes in the world now. The system is wide open to corruption and abuse."

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "Officers are aware of these incidents and we are investigating."

Royal Mail said: "We are aware an incident has taken place where a postman has been approached and asked for mail."