PENDLE peer Lord Tony Greaves is calling for international observers to oversea the borough's General Election campaign.

Pendle councillor Lord Greaves is concerned vote-rigging could take place and called on the Government to appoint observers in the hope it will disuade people from tampering with the system.

Addressing Baroness Ashton of Upholland in the House of Lords, he said: "Will the Minister bear in mind the dramatic increases in the number of complaints and allegations about voting fraud, particularly but not only connected with postal voting, which have been made in the past few years?

"Is the noble Baroness aware that only a fortnight ago a former councillor in Blackburn pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to such offences in 2002 and that this is only the tip of the iceberg of what is going on? Will she give advice to such observers that they might concentrate their attention on those places and in those areas where such allegations are made?"

Lady Ashton replied it was not normal practice to appoint international observers in this way.

But Lord Greaves wants those observers present in Pendle for the expected General Election.