Jeremy Hunt deletes photo of wife’s postal ballot amid rule-breaking claims

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Jeremy Hunt shared a photo of his wife’s postal ballot on social media before deleting it amid claims of potential rule-breaking.

The Chancellor on Sunday posted a picture on X, formerly twitter, of his wife with a pen hovering over the box next to his name in the Godalming and Ash constituency he is contesting.

The caption read: “Marriage safe … got the wife’s vote.”

But he later removed the post as social media users flagged guidance from the Electoral Commission about sharing information about how somebody votes.

A spokesman for the election watchdog said: “Every voter has the right to vote in private.

“The secrecy of the ballot is fundamental to our voting process and is protected in law.

“The law allows a postal voter to take a picture of their own postal ballot paper and publicise it (including via social media).

“It is an offence to pressurise or induce a postal voter, or indeed any voter, to make their information available.

“It can also be an offence to obtain and share information about how someone else has voted.

“These laws are enforced by the police.”

The Chancellor is facing significant pressure from the Liberal Democrats in the redrawn constituency of Godalming and Ash at the General Election on July 4.

He has represented South West Surrey since 2005, winning a majority of 8,817 in 2019.

Last week he said his seat was “too close to call” and that the Conservatives are not pretending that the party winning the election was “the most likely outcome”.

Contesting Godalming and Ash are Mr Hunt, the Lib Dems’ Paul Follows, Reform UK’s Graham Drage, Ruby Tucker of the Green Party, Labour’s James Walsh and Harriet Williams of the Women’s Equality Party.