General election 2015: Ukip supporters 'intimidate voters outside South Thanet polling stations,' Labour claims
Police are investigating reports of 'disturbances' in the constituency
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Your support makes all the difference.People claiming to be Ukip supporters have reportedly been “intimidating” voters at polling stations in Nigel Farage’s target seat of South Thanet.
A spokesperson for the constituency’s Labour Party told The Independent that groups ranging between “a couple of people” and a dozen had been shouting at voters on their way in and telling them to support Ukip.
He said supporters had recorded incidents at four polling stations, including a church, in Broadstairs and Margate.
“They were aggressively asking people who they were voting for and telling them to vote Ukip,” the spokesperson added.
Later in the day, at around 3pm, three men claiming to be Ukip supporters and wearing rosettes entered Labour’s campaign shop in Ramsgate “swearing and shouting abuse”, press officer Mark Nottingham said.
Will Scobie, the Labour candidate for South Thanet, urged people to report any incidents to Kent Police.
“Whichever way people want to vote, they should be free to do it without abuse and intimidation,” he said in a statement.
A spokesperson for Kent Police said officers had investigated reports of “disturbances” in Zion Place, Cliftonville and Prince Charles Road, Broadstairs. Both locations contain polling stations.
She added: “Initial enquiries have established no offences have taken place.”
Mr Farage denied that any of his party’s officials would have been involved in the alleged intimidation but told The Guardian he could not be held responsible for the actions of anyone claiming to be supporters.
Ukip campaigners have also accused Labour supporters of defacing and removing its posters.
“A number of activists could be working in our name or in Labour’s name when they are not,” Mr Farage said.
A “high profile” Ukip councillor’s window was smashed with a plant pot at around 3am this morning and other homes displaying support for the party have allegedly been vandalised.
The result for South Thanet is expected at around 6am, with Mr Farage hoping to gain a seat in Parliament for the first time.
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