Labour MP Luke Pollard's fury as votes left out of result Published duration 10 June 2017

image caption Luke Pollard said he wanted to know "why and who is responsible" for what happened

Thousands of votes were not included in the result for a newly-elected Labour MP, Plymouth City Council has said.

Luke Pollard won Plymouth Sutton and Devonport with 23,808 votes. However, the actual figure including the missed votes cast in his favour was 27,283.

Mr Pollard said the votes from the Efford and Lipson ward were counted in his constituency, but they were not included in the result.

He would still have won comfortably over Conservative Oliver Colvile.

Mr Colvile's official result on Thursday was 17,806 votes. However, with Efford and Lipson added in he won 20,476 votes.

The Electoral Commission has said it will investigate.

Postal votes

It is already probing claims about missing postal votes in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, in addition to South West Devon and Plymouth Moor View.

A spokesperson said: "The commission is aware of reports of electoral administrative problems in Plymouth and is in contact with the electoral officers who are responsible for delivering the election in these areas.

"We will be reporting on the administration of the polls after the election and will carefully consider these reports as part of that process."

The city council said an "error in a spreadsheet" meant that more than 6,100 votes from Efford and Lipson "were not included in the final declaration sheet for the Plymouth Sutton and Devonport constituency".

A spokesman said: "We are very sorry that this error has happened. We are making all paperwork and data available to the Electoral Commission and to candidates and agents to inspect."

image caption Mr Pollard said the votes from the Efford and Lipson ward were counted in his constituency but not included in the result

Mr Pollard said: "It's just another thing to add to the catalogue of mistakes by the council.

"Right from the start the city council has made a series of unforced errors.

"I want to get a sense of what has happened, why and who is responsible.