COMMONS MUST DEBATE SECOND HOME VOTES
North Cornwall’s MP, Dan Rogerson, has called for a special Commons debate about holiday home owners voting at Cornish elections even though they are not permanent residents.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Rogerson asked Deputy Prime Minister, Harriet Harman, to make time for the House of Commons to debate allegations that the Conservative Party has deliberately targeted second home owners for votes in local authority elections.
The Deputy Prime Minister said there may be an opportunity to debate the issue when the delayed Political Parties and Elections Bill returns to the House of Commons before the Summer Recess.
Commenting after the exchanges, Mr Rogerson said:
“The Government needs to make special time for a debate on the law in this area.
“The present position is extremely murky, with electoral registration officers in each authority left to challenge voters about whether they are registered elsewhere and to make sure no one votes twice.
“Residents are clearly concerned that second home votes have impacted particularly on the result of local elections.
“I will be seeking the earliest opportunity to have this matter debated in the House. The Political Parties and Elections Bill is unlikely to address the issue, so Ministers must come up with more satisfactory answers and make time for it to be considered in its own right.
“As we approach the General Election, whatever people’s own political convictions, everyone will want to be sure that the election is conducted fairly.
“Two homes certainly should not mean two votes.”
Would you not agree, Fulub, that the principle of ‘One Person – One Vote’ is a fundamental and key principle of democracy as we know it?
Do you also not agree that property based multiple voting is likely to marginalise indigenous and full time residents in areas of high density non-resident residential housing misappropriation?
How about the commons debating the MP’s expenses scandal and then deep democratic and constitutional renewal.
Your move, as important as it is, simply looks like foot stamping sour grapes. There are bigger fish to fry at the moment.