A VOTER complained of an ‘impartiality breach’ after he noticed a copy of The Daily Express left on the front desk as he went in to cast his vote.

The Express’ headline read: ‘Brexit and Britain in your hands’ with a photo of Boris Johnson splashed across the front page.

Barrie McKinnell, 68, said he saw the front page when he first entered the polling station on Amphitrite Street on Walney to vote at around 9.30am. An hour later, he returned to complain and request the paper be removed from the front desk.

Mr McKinnell said: “These people are supposed to be impartial. But this propaganda was right there in plain view.”

Jon Huck, the Barrow returning officer, said: “There are no restrictions on bringing literature into the polling station. All poll clerks have signed impartiality statements and we are not aware of the individual being affiliated with any party.

“It was an honest mistake. Obviously it shouldn’t have been there and the polling officer has apologised.”

Brendan Sweeney, the agent for Labour candidate Chris Altree, said: “The Labour Party accepts that this was an honest mistake with no intention to influence the ballot.”

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “This does not have anything to do with us. We don’t know anything about it.”

A spokesman at the Electoral Commission said: “Polling staff should not do anything that compromises their impartiality. Any allegations of them doing something that does compromise it should be reported.”