THE Electoral Commission has serious questions to answer, the Scottish Green Party has said, after a fringe far-right party was allowed to use similar branding to the Scottish Greens on Holyrood election ballot papers. 

The party accused Independent Green Voice (IGV) of “electoral deceit” that may have cost it two MSPs.

The IGV logo appeared on ballot papers featuring a leaf and the word “green” in a similar typeface to that of the Scottish Green Party.

IGV was registered in 2003, though the Greens said it is now being used as a front for the far right. It did little campaigning but received 2,210 votes in the Glasgow regional list, which may have led to the Scottish Green Party missing out on a seat. 

The Greens said that a similar situation occurred on the South of Scotland regional list.

A party spokesperson said “there are serious questions about how the Electoral Commission allowed such blatant electoral deceit.”

A commission spokeswoman said officials were “satisfied that there are clear and sufficient differences between the two party’s registered names, descriptions and emblems to avoid confusion.”