AN MP is calling for an overhaul of electoral law which means a party can “invent any slogan they want” – even if it doesn’t reflect their policies or aims.
The move comes after concerns over potential confusion at the ballot box between the right-wing fringe party Independent Green Voice (IGV) and the Scottish Greens during the Holyrood election.
Hundreds of complaints were lodged with the Electoral Commission, but it ruled out a review saying it was satisfied there are “clear and sufficient differences between the two parties’ registered names, descriptions and emblems to avoid likely voter confusion”.
The IGV party was founded by Alistair McConnachie, who was barred from Ukip for questioning the Holocaust.
A few months before the election, his party registered a new logo of a leaf with the word “Green” prominently below.
READ MORE: Hundreds complain to Electoral Commission over 'Green/fascist front' confusion
SNP MP Alan Brown lodged a question in the House of Commons asking whether the party’s description as Organic Green Scotland on the Scottish parliamentary election regional listing ballot paper represented the “key objective” of that party.
In response Labour MP Christian Matheson, who represents the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, said: “There is no requirement in law for a party’s description to reflect its policies and objectives. As such, this is not a consideration when the commission assesses an application to register a description, and it is not a basis on which a description could be refused.”
Brown told the Sunday National he was “astonished” at the response and has called for an overhaul of electoral laws. He added: “Actually, it is jaw dropping that the slogan only needs to be legal and that ‘there is no requirement in law for a party’s descriptions to reflect its policies and objectives’. This gives the signal that parties can invent any slogan they want, whether it reflects the aims of their party or not, simply to lure voters in.
READ MORE: Unionist party gets away with claims of vote-rigging, despite hundreds of complaints
“It has been highlighted that any previous political literature produced for Independent Green Voice was anti-immigration, so I shudder to think what their interpretation of a Green Organic Scotland could be.
“However, such a slogan really does fuel the misconception that this is a party driven by green policies and it is little wonder it caused some voter confusion, based on a combination of the slogan and logo.”
An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said: “We must assess applications against the criteria set out in law. For party identity marks – its name and any descriptions or emblems – those tests are designed to ensure that voters can understand the ballot paper so as to find their chosen candidate or party and can vote as they choose. Changes to this area of electoral legislation are for the UK Parliament to decide.”
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