Councils are ignoring allegations of electoral fraud for fear of offending ethnic minorities, Sir Eric Pickles has argued.

Writing in The Daily Telegraph today, Sir Eric compared the lack of action on electoral fraud to the way councils and the police ignored claims about child sex abuse across the country.

Sir Eric is heading up the biggest-ever investigation into electoral fraud after the former mayor of Tower Hamlets LBC, Lutfur Rahman was found guilty of corrupt and illegal practices.

In his article, Sir Eric wrote: ‘In Tower Hamlets, police and council staff failed to tackle intimidation – often in foreign languages – both inside and outside polling stations.

‘Just as we have seen with child sexual exploitation in places like Rochdale and Rotherham, institutionalised political correctness can lead to the state turning a blind eye to criminal conduct but the law must be applied equally and fairly to everyone. 

‘Integration and good community relations are undermined by the failure to do so.'

An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said: ‘We welcome the Government's review of electoral fraud, which should build on the review we published ourselves last year and the recent introduction of Individual Electoral Registration. 

‘We hope that they will also take this opportunity to respond to the main recommendation from our 2014 review that voters at polling stations in Great Britain should show proof of their identity as they already do in Northern Ireland.

‘The commission's own review of electoral fraud last year showed that when electoral fraud is attempted, or committed, it is by candidates and their supporters – voters are the victims.

‘We work with the police and electoral administrators throughout the year to make sure that plans are in place to tackle fraud, particularly in those areas where our research shows they may be more vulnerable.'