A NEWLY elected councillor has called for more to be done to move Bradford away from the bully politics he claims have plagued parts of the city.
David Ward first raised concerns about the election process in parts of the district last year, when he lost his seat as Liberal Democrat MP for Bradford East at the General Election.
On Thursday he was voted in as a councillor for Bolton and Undercliffe in the local elections, but believes there are still major problems in Bradford.
Councillor Ward said he reported a number of these issues, such as bullying by supporters of some candidates, "illegal" leaflets and intimidation of voters at the polls, to the Electoral Commission and police after the General Election.
He said: "To be quite frank I see reporting this as a complete waste of time. I don't think the police or the commission have taken these concerns seriously.
"We send teams of scrutineers to other countries to oversee votes there, but then we can't control our own elections. I think if you raise this issue people accuse you of sour grapes.
"If we don't do anything about this it will happen again next year, and the year after that and just go on."
He said he would speak with agents of local candidates to decide whether to lodge any formal complaint.
The leader of Bradford Council David Green, who held his seat in last week's elections, added: "I agree that any form of intimidation or illegal activity needs to be rooted out from politics not just in Bradford but anywhere. People need to be able to express their view without threat or fear. I’m aware in my own ward this year there were some incidents but by and large they were isolated, although still serious."
Councillor Simon Cooke, leader of the Conservatives on Bradford Council, agreed there were regular issues.
"The point he makes is a valid one. We do need to look at how politics is conducted in Bradford.
"The real issue highlighted, not just by this behaviour but also by the anti-Semitism scandal, is of how people in politics are willing to use hate and fear to strengthen their political position."
Detective Chief Inspector Terry Long, of Bradford District Police, said the force and council had worked together in the run up to the elections and assessed the district's 241 polling stations to identify any where issues might occur.
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"We will continue to take a firm stance against anyone whose actions could impact on people's right to vote freely and communities should be reassured that all allegations of malpractice will be assessed and investigated appropriately," he said.
A spokesman for the Electoral Commission said it took electoral fraud "extremely seriously" and worked with the police to provide advice and guidance.
"However allegations of electoral offences are a matter for the police to investigate, where there is evidence to support this," he added.
