By-election at Eastfield, Scarborough, goes ahead, despite allegations of intimidation

The by-election is set to see the election of a councillor to represent the Eastfield division on North Yorkshire Council following the incumbent councillor’s resignation in April.

However, allegations of “candidate intimidation” have emerged before locals go to the polls, with North Yorkshire Police confirming that it has also received a report and that its “enquiries are ongoing”.

North Yorkshire Council’s chief executive, Richard Flinton, who is the returning officer for the Eastfield by-election, said: “The by-election will continue as planned tomorrow.

"Any allegations of inappropriate behaviour should be reported to the police.”

In a statement made on Tuesday evening, the Scarborough & Whitby Conservative Association said: “It is with great regret today that we have reported to the police, threats to and intimidation of a candidate in Thursday's Eastfield by-election.

“While this is not the Conservative candidate we feel that it is our duty to show that such behaviour is intolerable and the candidate in question has our full support in this matter.

“This behaviour has no place in democratic politics or modern society and all parties should be condemning this behaviour.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “We can confirm that we have received a report and enquiries are ongoing.”

The candidates standing for election are:

Eric Batts, The Conservative Party

Will Forbes, The Green Party

David Charles Thompson, Labour Party

Tim Thorne, Independent

Erica Danielle Willett, Liberal Democrat

Tony Randerson, no political affiliation

The by-election was called after the incumbent councillor, Tony Randerson, resigned from the North Yorkshire Council and the Labour Party over his concerns about the party’s leadership and direction under Sir Keir Starmer.

Voting will take place between 7am and 10pm with the election count taking place in the evening after the close of polling.

Voters attending their polling station for the by-election on May 25 will need to bring photographic identification in order to be able to vote.