A POLICE investigation has been launched over claims a leaflet published on behalf of Wrexham’s Tory parliamentary candidate did not contain the legally required information about who published it.

A complaint was raised last week in relation to campaign literature distributed in support of Gresford community councillor Sarah Atherton, who is aiming to win the key Conservative target seat previously held by Labour’s Ian Lucas at this month’s general election.

It comes after Hayley Williams, who lives in the constituency, said she received a leaflet through the door which did not include an imprint.

Under the Representation of the People Act, all election flyers must contain the name and address of the printer, promoter and the person it is being issued on behalf of.

The Leader:

A complaint was raised last week in relation to campaign literature distributed in support of Wrexham Conservative candidate Sarah Atherton. Source: Hayley Williams

North Wales Police has confirmed it is looking into the matter, although Ms Atherton said all of her leaflets had been sent out with the appropriate details included.

However, Miss Williams said she was surprised when she received the pamphlet.

She said: “I was going through it and looking at it when I realised there was no imprint on it, so I tweeted her and she didn’t respond.

“I spoke to a few people who are into politics and they said it was a criminal offence.

“I spoke to the Guildhall’s elections department and they couldn’t do anything.

The Leader:

“I then went to the Electoral Commission and they said I needed to go to the police.

“It looks as though as it’s been cut off because I put it against an A4 piece of paper and there’s probably about half an inch missing.

“If you’re not used to what campaign leaflets look like then you wouldn’t know it was missing.”

Miss Williams said two local police officers had visited her house to collect the leaflet.

A specialist officer based in St Asaph who deals with electoral law is understood to be investigating the matter further.

In response, Ms Atherton said all of her campaign leaflets contained the relevant imprint when they were issued.

She added she was not responsible for what happened to them afterwards.

She said: “It’s an old issue and I thought it had gone away.

“Everything has gone out with an imprint on – it is what is required and why wouldn’t we do it?

“The problem we’ve got is what people do with it afterwards we can’t control.

“They’ve gone everywhere, we’ve handed them out in street surgeries, they’ve been left in piles in cafes and they’ve gone across the constituency.

“We can’t really account for what happens with them after that.”