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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Abigail O'Leary

Fury as postal votes arrive with Tory 'begging letter' signed by Boris Johnson

Furious voters receiving their postal ballot packs have complained they arrived alongside 'begging letters' from the Tories.

The letter claims the Tories will "unlock Britain's future" and "end the doom and gloom" before churning out figures that have already been widely contested.

In it they pledge an extra 20,000 extra police officers - despite a loss of 21,000 officers during the Tories' 10 years in power.

The letter, believed to have been sent to homes in marginal seats, begins with a promise to get "Brexit done", before continuing: "The last few years have been frustrating. I get it. I've been just as frustrated as you.

"But we don't have to go on like this. Together, we can end the doom and gloom.

The letter some people said they received with their postal vote packs (Twitter)

"The country needs a majority government and you can secure it with your postal vote."

The letter goes on to claim the Tory Brexit deal is "agreed and ready to go from day one...meaning we can leave the EU by the end of January."

Each letter mentions the Tory candidate running in the voter's particular area, urging them to use their postal vote to elect the Conservative hopeful and "end the delays".

Some who had received the letter said they were 'troubled' by its arrival alongside their postal vote.

Colleen Hawkins said: "As others have reported, my postal vote arrived today accompanied by a separate letter from @BorisJohnson & my local MP, specifically asking me to use my postal vote to support the @conservatives.

"I find that deeply troubling & I will be complaining to the @ElectoralCommUK (Electoral Commission)".

James Lazarus said: "Why are people not receiving a letter from the other parties at the same time?

"They are only receiving Tory begging letters. It feels undemocratic and proves we cannot trust anything that happens in this country From this to BBC editing Johnson footage."

The Electoral Commission confirmed it is illegal to send out any such material in postal ballot packs - which must only contain a ballot paper, postal voting statement and instructions.

However the commission said parties find ways to get their material out at a similar time, adding: "Political parties often know when poll cards and postal vote packs are due to go out and may time the delivery of their leaflets to arrive in the same post."

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