By Ben Kerrigan-
The UK is facing a perfect storm of threats that could put its entire electoral system at risk, according to the head of the elections watchdog.
Russian meddling on social media and local council cuts are some of the factors threatening the credibility of the system, Sir John Holmes told BBC Radio 4 programme.
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Holmes told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme Britain’s electoral laws were a “mess” and needed to be updated.
The Electoral Commission has apparently launched an investigation into allegations of Russian interference in last year’s Brexit referendum and the general election. The news comes after The Eye Of Media.Com revealed that Twitter announced yesterday that it had deleted up to 40 Russian imposta accounts pretending to be American. The revelations came following an extensive investigation by Researchers from The University Of Edinburgh. The fake accounts were allegedly designed to unfairly influence the elections and sow discord in America.
“It would be naive to assume that what we know happened in the US and France around their elections did not and could not happen here,” Sir John told the BBC Radio Programme.
“And there has been evidence coming from the US inquiry that some of that activity was happening.
“What we have done is asked companies like Twitter, Google and Facebook to tell us what was happening here in the same way they did in the US.”
The UK faces a “perfect storm” of threats that could put its entire electoral system at risk, the head of the elections watchdog has warned.
Russian meddling on social media and local council cuts were just two of the factors threatening the credibility of the system, Sir John Holmes said.
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He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme Britain’s electoral laws were a “mess” and needed to be updated.
He will set out the steps he says need to be taken in a speech later.
The Electoral Commission has launched an investigation into allegations of Russian interference in last year’s Brexit referendum and the general election.
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“It would be naive to assume that what we know happened in the US and France around their elections did not and could not happen here,” Sir John told Today.
“And there has been evidence coming from the US inquiry that some of that activity was happening.
“What we have done is asked companies like Twitter, Google and Facebook to tell us what was happening here in the same way they did in the U.S”
The former diplomat who has served in Moscow, said it was “impossible” for the Electoral Commission to “regulate or prevent what Russia is doing”, adding that he wants to see new rule requiring political campaigners to identify themselves to give voters “transparency about who is trying to influence them, who is paying for it”.
He suggested the idea of photo IDs introduced at polling booths, following allegations of voter fraud in Tower Hamlets, in east London, and other areas. However, the shortcomings of the idea according to critics is that those on low incomes who don’t have photo I.D’s will be exclude from voting under his
Sir John counteracts this by stating that such low income individuals could be given free photo ID cards, as was already happening in Northern
Sir John also wants to see well resourced parties fined following the rule breaking of the Conservatives who were fined £70,000 for breaking the rules.
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