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In his speech to "Progress" (
see here),
Ed Miliband has announced that Labour will be undertaking the biggest
electoral registration drive for a generation. I hope that this means
that such a campaign will make full use of Labour's parliamentary
avenues.
When I introduced a Private Members Bill in the 1992/3 parliamentary
session aimed at tackling under-registration it was talked out by the
Conservatives. For the measure to progress, we needed to win the closure
vote and have a hundred members in our lobby. But despite the support
of the Labour Front Bench (including that of Tony Blair, then Shadow
Home Secretary, in the above letter), we failed as we "only" won the
division by 78-0. It is hoped that in any re-run, sufficient Labour
back-benchers will turn up.
In 2000, the Government eventually carried legislation which made
various improvements in the electoral registration procedures, including
a measure enabling those who moved home to transfer their registration
arrangements without having to wait for the annual registration
procedure. Unfortunately, the Electoral Commission now show that only
14% of those who have moved their homes are making use of this facility.
I hope that Yvette Cooper, Labour's current Home Affairs' Spokesperson,
will have a look at my own failed efforts to improve the legislation,
including the unsuccessful improving amendments I pursued when the
Commons dealt with Labour's measure in 2000.
The serious nature of the issue has been revealed by the Electoral
Commission. At least 6 million are now missing from registers, with
only 56% of 19-24 year olds being covered and the same low percentage
for those in private rented accommodation.
Ed's and Yvette's campaign needs to draw from the Chartists and the
Suffragettes, whose efforts have unfortunately been seriously undermined
in recent years.
