Registration chaos ‘leaves result open to challenge’
THE EU referendum result could be open to legal challenge after the online process for voter registration descended into ‘shambles’, ministers were warned last night.
The deadline for people to register to vote in the June 23 poll was extended after the official website crashed on Tuesday night – potentially denying thousands the chance to take part.
Chris Grayling, the pro-Brexit Leader of the House of Commons, made an emergency statement to say legislation will be introduced today to allow an extension to midnight tonight.
But Bernard Jenkin, a senior Tory backbencher and fellow Leave campaigner, said the mix-up made Britain look like a ‘banana republic’.
By extending the deadline by a full two days, when the website had only been down for 90 minutes, the Government was acting on the ‘cusp of legality’.
He warned that if the Remain side narrowly win the referendum there could be a court injunction against the result.
Observers said those seeking to register at the last minute were more likely to be young Remain supporters, leading to one Tory MP accusing the Government of ‘gerrymandering’.
Officially, the Leave campaign welcomed the extension last night – but senior figures were said to be ‘seething’.
Earlier in the day, Vote Leave chief executive Matthew Elliot had suggested ministers were trying to ‘skew’ the result.
Mr Jenkin, chairman of the Commons public administration committee, said rushed legislation would make Britain look like an ‘absolute shambles’.
He told BBC Radio 4’s The World At One: ‘We are on the cusp of legality here.
‘We are now outside the legal framework by keeping the registration open today.
‘If they were to extend the registration for a period longer than this, they are really opening the possibility of a judicial review of the result if it is very close and people feel they have got a cause.
‘We are not a banana republic. We shouldn’t be making up the rules for our elections as we go along. This is a shambles.’
He asked why the Electoral Commission had taken such tough action when it had done very little over non-eligible EU citizens receiving voting cards.
‘Why is the Government not acting with the same vigour over weeding out mis-registered EU nationals who have been sent polling cards and even postal ballots, but who are not eligible?’ he said.
On Tuesday night, at 10.15pm, the Government’s electoral registration website peaked at around 50,000 visitors – many of whom were unable to register.
Downing Street said MPs will vote today on a statutory instrument to amend the EU Referendum Conduct Regulations, reducing from five to three the number of working days before the poll that the electoral lists must be published.
This has the effect of extending the registration deadline by 48 hours, while preserving a separate five-day period for appeals against entries on the register.
Although the website was only down for two hours, it was decided to extend the deadline by two days to allow time for disappointed would-be voters to learn they are being given a further chance to sign up. Mr Cameron’s official spokesman said this solution was arrived at following talks with the Electoral Commission and opposition parties and was ‘legally watertight’ against possible challenges.
The Stronger In and Vote Leave campaigns were not involved in the discussions, she confirmed.
Pro-Remain Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said Mr Elliott’s claims exposed Vote Leave as ‘a bunch of conspiracy theorists’. She added: ‘Anyone who cares about British democracy, whichever side of the argument
‘On the cusp of legality’ ‘Absolute shambles’
they are on, should support any attempts to get new voters registered to have their say in this referendum.’
Last night, leading pro-Brexit campaigner Michael Gove said he welcomed the extension.
‘People will only have one chance to vote on whether they share free movement of people with Turkey, so the more people who register to vote on June 23 the better.’
He added: ‘It is particularly important given how few young people normally vote, and I hope that this election will be different.’