Government ‘urgently’ investigating general election postal ballot delays
The government is “urgently” investigating why some people have not yet received their postal ballots ahead of Thursday’s election.
Conservative minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News she is aware of “a number of” constituencies where people have not yet received their postal votes.
There are reports of thousands of postal ballots not being delivered in time, with postal affairs minister Kevin Hollinrake calling on Royal Mail “to do all they can” to make sure postal votes get to people in time.
More than 90 constituencies, including those of Cabinet ministers, have raised concerns about ballots failing to arrive, according to The Telegraph.
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Ms Caulfield told Sky News: “Kevin [Hollinrake] is taking this very seriously. He’s in direct contact with the Royal Mail.
“Kevin is investigating this urgently.
“I know there’s extra resources going into this to try and do a sweep of all the sorting offices and make sure they’re out there.”
Ms Caulfield added that those who will be at home on polling day this Thursday and have received a postal vote late can take them to their local polling station.
However, she said it is a concern for those who are away as the deadline to apply for a proxy vote, where someone else is allowed to vote on your behalf, has passed.
Postal ballots will amount to about 40% of votes this year. Pic: iStock
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There are specific concerns for voters in Scotland as schools broke up for the summer holidays on Friday so many families have already left the country.
Senior SNP Stephen Flynn told Sky News the situation was a “shambles” and said his party had warned the Conservatives not to hold the election now as so many families in Scotland would be on holiday.
He said the government told them they could vote by post so the fact they have not received their ballots in time is “outrageous” and could affect the outcome of the vote where seats are tight.
He said the blame “lies at Sunak’s doorstep”.
Postal ballots will amount to about 40% of votes this year. Pic: iStock
At the last general election, in 2019, 21% of people voted by post.
That number is expected to have increased by 20%, with more than 1.3 million postal vote applications made between 22 May and 19 June, according to the Local Government Association.
A spokesman said: “This unprecedented increase adds more pressure to an already complex process and overburdened system.
“Councils and electoral staff across the country have been doing their utmost to ensure the smooth running of this election and that people can vote.
“We are aware of reports of incidents where delays have happened. The postal vote system could benefit from review and more could be done to support Royal Mail and printers to be ready to deliver elections.”
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The deadline to register to vote by post was 19 June, with ballots normally arriving around a week before polling day.
Postal votes have to arrive by 10pm on polling day.
Politics
Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman
Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.
Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.
MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.
But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.
He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.
Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.
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“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.
“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.
“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.
“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”
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Review into assisted dying costs
Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.
She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.
“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.
Read more on this story:
‘Fix care before assisted dying legislation’
Why assisted dying is controversial – and where it’s already legal
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.
The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband is said to support the bill. Pic: Reuters
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has concerns. Pic: Reuters
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The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.
Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.
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Labour MP Kim Leadbeater discusses End of Life Bill
The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.
MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.
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