Upcoming Northants election result could end up at the high court

The chief executive of North Northants Council and the boss of the Electoral Commission have different views on whether a Reform candidate is eligible in the Higham Ferrers election.

By Sarah Ward

The election to decide the final two councillors on North Northants Council could end up with a High Court petition over the eligibility of one of the candidates.

The Electoral Commission, which oversees UK elections, and the North unitary council’s chief executive Adele Wylie, who is also the returning officer, have a different view about whether Reform UK candidate Elisa Perna should be on the ballot.

The Higham Ferrers election should have been held along with all the other wards on May 1 but was delayed after the sad death of Lib Dem candidate John Ratcliffe.

The election will be contested on Thursday, June 12, but the boss of the Electoral Commission and the Lib Dems do not think that Elisa Perna should have been eligible to stand because she was a candidate in the Oundle election on May 1 - where she came sixth.