Applications for postal votes have soared in areas where six Labour councillors were recently found guilty of postal vote fraud. 

Birmingham City Council have disclosed that a last minute rush resulted in a total of 59,190 people having applied to vote by post by 5pm on Tuesday.
 
The sharpest increases were in Clare Short’s Ladywood constituency where applications jumped from just 611 in the 2001 general election to 5,645 on Tuesday.

Hodge Hill, also a Labour safe seat, reported a rise from 1,042 in 2001 to 4,145 this time.