By Jake Ryan For The Mail On Sunday
Published: 00:12 BST, 12 May 2019 | Updated: 00:12 BST, 12 May 2019
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Politics can often be a cause of much family strife, but for Peter and Karen Groucott, the latest round of council elections has led to a major marital headache.
Both stood for election in the Cumbrian coastal town of Silloth-on-Solway, but a blunder means that Peter must take up the seat that Karen won fairly and squarely.
The error came when the returning officer announced the results for a seat on Silloth town council and mistakenly stated that Peter had defeated his wife.
In fact, Karen was the true winner – garnering 320 votes against her husband’s 189 – but the hapless official had mixed up their candidate numbers.
Peter and Karen Groucott both stood for election in the Cumbrian coastal town of Silloth-on-Solway, but a blunder means that Peter must take up the seat that Karen won fairly and squarely
Under electoral law, a result is binding once it is announced – leaving the council, legal experts and the Groucotts in a political pickle.
Experts say the couple have three options: they can either accept the result and let Peter serve, he can step down and potentially trigger a by-election, or they can ask the High Court to overturn the decision.
It was the first time that IT consultant Peter and Karen, both 53, had stood for the council after moving to the town
