New voter legislation is a major risk say MP's

The coalition plans to introduce individual registration following the 2015 general election are a major risk according to new report from The Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee out today.

The government plans to introduce individual registration ending the current household method for submissions but the report warns that it could be too easy to "opt out" and voter numbers would drop.

MP's have recommended that the Government should make it an offence to fail to complete a voter registration form but suggested the penalty could be phased out after five years once the new system had bedded down.

Any inaccuracy in the register, which could be a consequence of the new system, could "have a marked and potentially partisan effect" on boundary changes, they added.