The growing stench of electoral fraud

hOW many electors broke the law by voting twice on June 8? That is the first deeply troubling question to arise after the electoral Commission revealed it has received 1,000 complaints of duplicate voting from members of the public.

Secondly, how many cases involved students, who are allowed to register in two places – their family home and university town – but can legally vote in only one? After all, this was the election in which vast numbers were driven to support Jeremy Corbyn by promises of university debt write- offs ( which Labour is now abandoning).

And, in a contest full of ultra-marginals, did these fraudulent votes change the outcome in particular seats, or even the overall result? What action will be taken against double-voters who bragged on social media about their blatant breach of electoral law? When will this glaring loophole be closed?

This merits an investigation every bit as thorough as that into 2015 election expenses. Only then will we know whether last month’s election was fair, and if the principle of one person, one vote – enshrined in law for nearly 70 years – remains intact.