London investigating allegations of electoral fraud

LONDON (AFP)--Several U.K. police forces said Wednesday that they were
investigating allegations of electoral fraud as polling day loomed.
  Investigators were probing claims in London, around the Manchester area in
northwest England and in Yorkshire, northern England, as voters geared up to
cast their ballots Thursday.
  The claims involve alleged fraudulent postal voting and the false
registration of voters' addresses.
  In London, the Metropolitan Police said 23 allegations of election
irregularities across 12 districts of the capital were under investigation.
  "All complaints and allegations received will be assessed, and where

appropriate, will be thoroughly investigated in close liaison with the
(prosecution service) and other relevant agencies," said a spokesman
  In the Manchester area, police said they had received reports of breaches of
the electoral code of practice in four areas.
  Police in Yorkshire said they were investigating three allegations of
fraudulent postal voting, although no arrests had yet been made.
  The U.K.'s electoral commission said extra security checks to prevent voter
fraud were introduced in 2006 and were now in place for the first time for a
general election.
  Registration officers have new powers to check that people registering to
vote are who they claim and, where appropriate, remove them from the electoral
register.
  Anyone registering to vote by post has to provide their date of birth and
signature so this can be checked when their vote is cast.