Birmingham Dispatch

🚨EXCLUSIVE: Shabana Mahmood’s postal ballot was investigated in a 2004 vote-rigging scandal in Birmingham The future home secretary submitted two postal ballot documents with very different signatures: birminghamdispatch.co.uk/exclusive-shab…

@pennycenturyy @brumdispatch If you haven’t read it yet, check out @pennycenturyy’s incredible scoop published on Saturday - featuring insane legal threats from Mahmood’s special advisor. This one is free but join @brumdispatch as a paying member to read Part 2 and back our work. birminghamdispatch.co.uk/exclusive-shab…

First it was two signatures that looked very different, now it's two that look eerily similar.... Pt. 2 of my investigation on the Home Secretary's ballot papers and the 2004 'banana republic' vote-rigging trial is out now. birminghamdispatch.co.uk/exclusive-why-…

First outlet to pick up the story since @brumdispatch broke it. As the Mail notes, the judge said the scandal, in which he estimated thousands of votes were rigged, ‘would disgrace a banana republic’. Mahmood’s dad was the election agent for three of the convicted candidates.

If you decide to sign two critical election forms this differently, you ideally do not want them blown up on page 2 of the Daily Mail.

Spokesperson: “False allegations that her father signed these documents were dismissed, with no adverse finding, over twenty years ago.” Mawrey’s judgment makes no mention of this. @pennycenturyy just published the latest for @brumdispatch members (£). birminghamdispatch.co.uk/exclusive-why-…

New twist in the Shabana Mahmood voting story. Yesterday @brumdispatch revealed that Mahmood signed two postal ballot documents in 2004 with very different signatures. Now look at one of those SM signatures alongside one from her sister. And look at the dates. The same hand?

Exclusive: Why did Shabana Mahmood vote using the wrong ballot in 2004? A new postal vote discrepancy – and two very similar signatures  Click the link in our bio to read the full story🔗 birminghamdispatch.co.uk/exclusive-why-…

Crazy. And @brumdispatch is still the only outlet where you can read the story.

Why is a Home Office employee threatening a newspaper which is writing a story about Operation Gripe - the police and Electoral Commission inquiry into Labour vote fraud in Birmingham?

The Mill network is on fire at the moment

One of the most fascinating local articles I’ve read for some years. And a disturbing reaction from the Home Secretary’s advisor. Like others, on the edge of my seat for part 2 … @ShabanaMahmood @brumdispatch birminghamdispatch.co.uk/exclusive-shab…

Incredible discovery here....

@pennycenturyy @brumdispatch I wonder how @ShabanaMahmood explains her two signatures and her advisor’s sinister threats (did she approve them?) in her next broadcast interview. She recently launched the government’s Fraud Strategy to send a “clear message” to criminals that there is “nowhere you can hide.”

However, when we asked why Mahmood would use two different signatures, they did not provide an explanation.

The special election court case occurred after six local Labour politicians were accused of using forgery, ballot manipulation, and theft to rig votes. When we asked Mahmood about the discrepancies, her special advisor said she used two signatures at the time.

🚨EXCLUSIVE: Shabana Mahmood’s postal ballot was investigated in a 2004 vote-rigging scandal in Birmingham The future home secretary submitted two postal ballot documents with very different signatures: birminghamdispatch.co.uk/exclusive-shab…

The special election court case occurred after six local Labour politicians were accused of using forgery, ballot manipulation, and theft to rig votes. When we asked Mahmood about the discrepancies, her special advisor said she used two signatures at the time.

Shabana Mahmood’s special advisor threatened us with an injunction and two different lawsuits last night in an attempt to block this story linking her to a notorious vote rigging case. I think it’s strongly in the public interest, so here it is. birminghamdispatch.co.uk/exclusive-shab…

Court documents show Mahmood’s father was not named or directly addressed in the election court judgment, after six local politicians were found guilty of forging and manipulating ballots He was an election agent for Labour in a Birmingham ward at the time The Birmingham Dispatch received legal threats from Mahmood’s special adviser for defamation last night before the story was published The same adviser said the Home Office would “be examining the lawful basis” on which the outlet holds information about the story A spokesperson for Mahmood said: “Shabana Mahmood signed both of these documents, which are clearly in her own handwriting. False allegations that her father signed these documents were dismissed, with no adverse finding, over twenty years ago. Shabana Mahmood is a dedicated public servant, who serves Birmingham, this country, and has long championed our democracy” Story: birminghamdispatch.co.uk/exclusive-shab…