Police quiz fish'n'chip shop owner over 'election bribery'

Police quiz fish’n’chip shop owner over ‘election bribery’ after he pledged free food to Brexit Party voters if they ousted local Labour MPs

  • David Wood, the owner of Woody’s Fish and Chips, promised free food for voters
  • He urged his Facebook followers to back Brexit Party candidates in Barnsley
  • South Yorkshire Police received two complaints and post has now been removed

Police have quizzed a fish and chip shop owner over ‘election bribery’ after he pledged to offer free food if the electorate ousted the local Labour MPs. 

David Wood, the owner of Woody’s Fish and Chips, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, wrote a post on Facebook promising the electorate free ‘Cod Bites and Chips’ if they helped remove the two incumbents.

Mr Wood instead urged his followers to vote for Brexit Party candidates Jim Ferguson for Barnsley East and Victoria Felton for Barnsley Central, as reported by The Daily Mirror.

His Facebook post said: ‘Election Promise! Help Woody’s to remove our two current Labour MPs from their seats in Westminster in favour of Jim Ferguson for Barnsley East and Victoria Felton for Barnsley Central.

David Wood, the owner of Woody’s Fish and Chips, in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, wrote a post on Facebook promising the electorate free ‘Cod Bites and Chips’ if they helped remove the two incumbents

‘Our promise to the electorate of Barnsley is to offer free Cod Bits & Chips to everyone that visits our shop on December the 13th in celebration of turfing Labour MPs out of Barnsley. You can count on us to deliver. Promise.’

South Yorkshire Police received two complaints about the posts and gave advice to ‘the person involved.’

The post has since been removed.

Offering goods, such as food or drink, in return for votes is known as ‘treating’ and is a contravention of the  Representation of the People Act 1983.

The Electoral Commission website says: ‘A person is guilty of treating if either before, during or after an election they directly or indirectly give or provide any food, drink, entertainment or provision to corruptly influence any voter to vote or refrain from voting.

‘Treating requires a corrupt intent – it does not apply to ordinary hospitality.’

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