RISHI Sunak has dismissed concerns some people could be disenfranchised by delays to receiving postal votes – despite Scottish councils having to take “urgent action” over the weekend.
The UK Government said it is aware of some issued around the printing and delivery of postal ballot packs in some areas and is helping to resolve them, according to No 10.
It comes after John Swinney (below) warned some Scots could be “disenfranchised” if their postal votes cannot be filled out and returned on time.
Voters in Scotland have reported still not having received their ballots with days to go until July 4, with some now overseas due to the start of the Scottish school holidays.
Asked whether the Prime Minister shared Swinney’s concerns, Sunak’s official spokesperson said: “No. We are aware of some concerns around the printing and delivery of postal ballot packs in some local areas.
“We are aware of some concerns around the printing and delivery of postal ballot packs in some local areas.
“We’re working closely with the Electoral Commission, returning officers, Royal Mail and the print suppliers to support the resolution of these issues.
“We understand that Royal Mail will also be conducting sweeps of their delivery system on polling day to make sure that any ballot packs still in the postal system are identified and passed to returning officers ahead of polls closing.
“And anyone who hasn’t received their postal ballot yet may want to contact their returning officer or arrange for it to be reissued, or to arrange for an alternative avenue to cast their ballot.”
Both Edinburgh City Council and Fife Council took the unusual step of setting up emergency centres where residents who were yet to receive their ballot could have one reissued or even cast their vote ahead of July 4.
Swinney on Sunday said there had been “significant reports of people who were trying to vote by post who had applied properly for a postal vote before the deadline of June 19”.
He also said there had been “no thought given to summer school holidays” in Scotland when Sunak called the election.
“Those postal ballots have not arrived with people and some of them have now left the country, and they have been disenfranchised because of the timing of the election, which is something I deeply regret,” he told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News.
