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References
- ↑ Sally Weale, David Hencke, "Literal candidate denies acting as Tory stooge", The Guardian , 15 June 1994.
- 1 2 3 Peter Dunn, "Party officials find literal truth is hard to take", The Independent , 14 June 1994.
- 1 2 "Research Paper, The Registration of Political Parties, Bill 188 of 1997–1998" (PDF). parliament.uk. 1 June 1998. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
The issue of misleading descriptions came to public attention in 1994 when Richard Huggett stood as the Literal Democrat candidate in the European Parliament elections in the constituency of Devon and East Plymouth.
- ↑ "Judge credited with thorough job". BBC News. 31 January 2000.
- ↑ Patricia Wynn Davies, "Historic win for Ashdown in West Country", The Independent , 13 June 1994.
- ↑ "UK Politics: Registering the difference". BBC News. 15 January 1999.
Former headmaster Richard Huggett hit the headlines in 1992 when he stood as a Literal Democrat candidate in the European Parliament Election in Devon and East Plymouth.
- ↑ Fran Abrams (14 January 1997). "Politics taken literally". The Independent. UK.
A candidate who was accused of trying to deceive the electorate after he polled 10,000 votes as a "Literal Democrat" plans to stand as "Gerald Maclone" against the health minister Gerald Malone in the general election. Richard Huggett said yesterday that he had received letters from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chancellor's department under the name Maclone and had even taken out a pension plan.
- ↑ David Millward (10 July 1997). "Police investigate 'votes fraud'". The Daily Telegraph. UK. Archived from the original on 9 September 2003. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
Problems started in December when Richard Huggett – who polled 10,000 votes when he stood as a "Literal Democrat" in the European elections tried to register himself as Gerald Maclone so he could run against Mr Malone. Mr Cowan managed to stop that ruse, but the ingenious Mr Huggett then entered himself on the ballot paper as Liberal Democrat Top Choice for Parliament.