‘Nationalists threatened me at the polling station’
POLICE are investigating two complaints that voters were threatened by nationalists outside polling stations.
Former Army medic David Llewellyn, 83, said he was confronted by two men in the constituency represented by Scotland’s only Tory MP.
He said they were wearing SNP badges and told him to produce his ‘voting card’ – which he declined to do – before asking who he was voting for.
Mr Llewellyn again refused, and said the men then told him that if he did not vote for the SNP he would ‘get done’.
The pensioner drove away, fearing for his safety, and later told Tory candidate David Mundell about the ordeal. Mr Mundell then notified Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson, who tweeted a warning about ‘burly blokes’ intimidating voters.
Dumfries and Galloway Council claimed online that her claims concerning Newington Sports and Leisure centre in Annan, Dumfriesshire, were false – only for Police Scotland to confirm it was looking into the allegations. The force’s officers had already been told to prepare for ‘threatening behaviour’ at the polls.
Mr Llewellyn told the Mail: ‘I drove to the polling station on my own to check the disabled parking situation as my wife is in a wheelchair. There were two men there with SNP badges – they were built like the side of a house. They were big bruisers, like two big sumo wrestlers – I don’t know who they were but they weren’t local. One of them said: “Where is your voting card?” I asked: “Why?” Then I was asked: “Who are you going to vote for?” I said: “That’s for me to know.” Then one of them said: “If you are going to vote other than the SNP, you are going to get done.”’
‘I said: “You are going to do an 83-year-old who served his country?” Then I turned the car around and left.’ Mr Llewellyn later returned with his 81-year-old wife Brenda-Ann, to find the men had gone.
Last night the Scottish Tories said another voter had also come forward to complain. A spokesman added that the party had spoken to the electoral registration officer at the council and Police Scotland. ‘We take all such reports seriously and always pass on the relevant information,’ they added.
The troubling reports come days after the SNP suspended two ringleaders of a violent protest in Glasgow, which saw megaphonewielding thugs target figures including Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy.
Miss Davidson tweeted: ‘ Disturbing reports of people being turned away from an Annan polling station by burly blokes if they say they don’t support a certain party.’
Dumfries and Galloway Council responded online: ‘ No burly blokes outside Annan. Officers and police visiting frequently. No complaints re canvassers.’ It later emerged the message had been illustrated with a photograph of the wrong polling station.
A council spokesman said: ‘Staff and police have been visiting polling stations across Dumfries and Galloway throughout the day to make sure voters can vote and that campaigners are acting responsibly.
‘Police officers have been speaking to campaigners as part of their checks at the polling stations. This was the case at the Annan polling station.’
An SNP spokesman said: ‘ We have no knowledge of this matter, but of course it is vital that every single person who wishes to cast their ballot is able to do so freely and fairly. We have had a fantastic election campaign in Scotland, and nothing must be allowed to detract from that.’