Kingdom servicemen set to miss out on election warns Rennie

5.35.00pm GMT Tue 23rd Feb 2010

Changes to voting rules which would help ensure Kingdom servicemen and women serving abroad have the opportunity to vote in the forthcoming General Election are required urgently, according to local MP Willie Rennie.

Current regulations mean that there are only 11 days in which postal ballots can be printed, dispatched and returned in order for them to be included in constituency counts. Mr Rennie is concerned that this could leave thousands of people serving in the armed forces overseas unable to register their vote.

Mr Rennie is backing a Liberal Democrat motion calling for the General Election timetable to be brought into line with that for local elections, where candidates are nominated 16 days before polling day. It is hoped that this change would help ease logistical difficulties. Willie has been an active campaigner on forces issues for many years. Last month, he co-sponsored a Parliamentary Bill that would have forced Ministers to improve the level of services offered to veterans around the UK.

Commenting, Mr Rennie said:

'The men and women of our armed forces serving overseas risk their lives on a daily basis. It is only proper that they should be able to exercise the democratic rights that they are fighting to protect.

'The Government has asked more and more of our service personnel for many years. Changing election rules so that forces votes can be counted is the least that Ministers can do to recognise the sacrifices they make on our behalf.'