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Duncan Smith calls on Cameron to act over EU vote checks Duncan Smith calls on Cameron to act over EU vote checks
(about 2 hours later)
Ex-cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith has called on David Cameron to act to ensure EU citizens living in the UK are not able to vote in the referendum.Ex-cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith has called on David Cameron to act to ensure EU citizens living in the UK are not able to vote in the referendum.
The Leave campaigner wrote to the PM warning of "lax" protections against a "highly concerning breach of the law".The Leave campaigner wrote to the PM warning of "lax" protections against a "highly concerning breach of the law".
He said "a number of concerned electors" had contacted Vote Leave saying ineligible EU citizens had been sent polling cards. Meanwhile the BBC has seen an Electoral Commission letter saying a computer glitch may mean some voters were wrongly registered for the referendum.
The Electoral Commission said a polling card did not entitle someone to vote. The commission said only "small numbers" of voters had been affected.
As part of the registration process, applicants are asked to give their nationality, it said, adding: "It is an offence to knowingly give false information on a registration application." Citizens from other EU countries - apart from citizens of the Irish Republic, Cyprus and Malta - are not entitled to vote in the 23 June referendum.
Citizens from other EU countries are not entitled to vote in the 23 June referendum.
But Mr Duncan Smith, in his letter written with Tory MP Bernard Jenkin, said there were "many and varied" examples of EU nationals being sent polling cards and expressed "serious concerns about the conduct of the European Union referendum and its franchise".But Mr Duncan Smith, in his letter written with Tory MP Bernard Jenkin, said there were "many and varied" examples of EU nationals being sent polling cards and expressed "serious concerns about the conduct of the European Union referendum and its franchise".
They said a Nottingham City Council officer had emailed a Vote Leave supporter to say the council was unable to check whether people put their correct nationality on an application, and had to assume the information submitted was correct, they claimed.They said a Nottingham City Council officer had emailed a Vote Leave supporter to say the council was unable to check whether people put their correct nationality on an application, and had to assume the information submitted was correct, they claimed.
'Eligibility checked''Eligibility checked'
The Electoral Commission said local electoral registration officers had to mark on their register where people were EU nationals so they were not allowed to vote in the referendum. The letter from the commission seen by the BBC was sent to regional counting officers saying an error on a computer system used by some local authorities may have resulted in voters being wrongly registered for the referendum - when they should, in fact, only be eligible for local elections.
The leaked document suggests that those who received a polling card or postal vote in error will now get a letter saying they will not be able to vote.
Earlier the commission said local electoral registration officers had to mark on their register where people were EU nationals so they were not allowed to vote in the referendum.
It said it was an offence to "knowingly give false information" on an application to join the electoral register, adding: "A poll card does not entitle someone to vote. In order to be able to cast their vote, a person must appear on the electoral register and be shown on it as being eligible to vote.It said it was an offence to "knowingly give false information" on an application to join the electoral register, adding: "A poll card does not entitle someone to vote. In order to be able to cast their vote, a person must appear on the electoral register and be shown on it as being eligible to vote.
"A person's eligibility is always checked by polling station staff before issuing a ballot paper and if they are not eligible, no ballot paper will be issued.""A person's eligibility is always checked by polling station staff before issuing a ballot paper and if they are not eligible, no ballot paper will be issued."
In their letter to the prime minister, the Leave campaigners said the commission's statement "abdicates all responsibility for this highly concerning breach of the law".In their letter to the prime minister, the Leave campaigners said the commission's statement "abdicates all responsibility for this highly concerning breach of the law".
"We believe the British public will be as shocked as we are to discover that the integrity of the franchise for this long-awaited referendum with profound consequences for the future of our nation is being protected in such a lax manner," they added."We believe the British public will be as shocked as we are to discover that the integrity of the franchise for this long-awaited referendum with profound consequences for the future of our nation is being protected in such a lax manner," they added.
Call for IDCall for ID
The MPs requested a response within 24 hours to a number of questions, including how wrongly-issued postal votes would be identified and what the scale of the problem was.The MPs requested a response within 24 hours to a number of questions, including how wrongly-issued postal votes would be identified and what the scale of the problem was.
They said: "Can you confirm that no checks are conducted to verify someone's nationality when they apply to join the electoral roll? Do you believe that is sensible?"They said: "Can you confirm that no checks are conducted to verify someone's nationality when they apply to join the electoral roll? Do you believe that is sensible?"
A spokeswoman for the Electoral Commission pointed out that in 2014, the body itself called for ID to be shown in polling stations as a way of tightening up on voter fraud. Legislation would be needed in Parliament for this to happen.A spokeswoman for the Electoral Commission pointed out that in 2014, the body itself called for ID to be shown in polling stations as a way of tightening up on voter fraud. Legislation would be needed in Parliament for this to happen.
Kingston-upon-Thames council in South West London said a Polish citizen in the area - whose case had been highlighted by the Guido Fawkes website - was only sent a polling card because he had put "British" as his nationality on the electoral register.Kingston-upon-Thames council in South West London said a Polish citizen in the area - whose case had been highlighted by the Guido Fawkes website - was only sent a polling card because he had put "British" as his nationality on the electoral register.