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Jeremy Corbyn leads calls for EU referendum voter deadline extension Opposition leaders call for EU deadline extension after website crashes
(about 3 hours later)
Jeremy Corbyn is leading calls for an extension to the voter registration deadline for the EU referendum after a government website crashed less than two hours before the deadline. The leaders of Labour and the Liberal Democrats are leading calls for an extension to the voter registration deadline for the EU referendum after a government website crashed less than two hours before the deadline.
Voters were encouraged to register before 11.59pm on Tuesday to be able to take part in the EU referendum. However, the Cabinet Office website would not allow voters to input their details at 10.40pm. Tim Farron will on Wednesday seek an urgent parliamentary question to demand an extension to the voter registration deadline. The Liberal Democrat leader described the online glitch that may have prevented tens of thousands from registering to vote as a “shambles”.
The glitch could mean that tens of thousands of potential voters may have been disenfranchised and unable to cast a vote in what is expected to be closely fought contest. It follows calls by Jeremy Corbyn and other opposition figures for action after the Cabinet Office website would not allow voters to input their details at 10.40pm on Tuesday. Voters had been encouraged for weeks to register before 11.59pm to be able to take part in the EU referendum.
According to government data, more than 50,000 people attempted to register to vote between 11.15pm and 11.20pm on Tuesday.A Cabinet Office spokesperson said officials became aware of technical issues on gov.uk/register-to-vote late on Tuesday night due to “unprecedented demand”. “Some people did manage to get through and their applications were processed. We tried to resolve the situation as quickly as was possible and to resolve cases where people tried to register but were not able to,” she said.
“Given the history of government IT problems, it is extraordinary that there were no contingency arrangements in place. Instead we have blind panic and chaos,” said Farron.
“It is legal to extend the deadline. There are a number of options the government can use. My sense is we should extend the deadline for anybody for another 24 hours.
“People might have seen the debate last night and wanted to register, that is valid. It seems many trying to register were young people. It would be a travesty if their first experience of democracy was this shambles,” he said.
The Lib Dem leader added: “Evidence shows younger people are overwhelmingly pro-European, and if they are disenfranchised it could cost us our place in Europe. It could also turn them off democracy for life. Voters must be given an extra day while this mess is sorted out urgently.”
Nigel Farage, Ukip’s leader, also appeared to agree that the voter registration deadline should be extended for a day.
“I think there have been some pretty big clarion calls for people to register and my understanding is that a very, very large number of people have. So if the website crashed last night then maybe the sensible thing is to extend it by a day but I really wouldn’t go beyond that,” he told ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
According to government data, more than 50,000 people attempted to register to vote between 11.15pm and 11.20pm on Tuesday.
A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said officials became aware of technical issues on gov.uk/register-to-vote late on Tuesday night due to “unprecedented demand”. “Some people did manage to get through and their applications were processed. We tried to resolve the situation as quickly as was possible and to resolve cases where people tried to register but were not able to,” she said.
By 7am on Wednesday, the site was working again. However, those who registered at this time will not be allowed to vote on 23 June, one source said.By 7am on Wednesday, the site was working again. However, those who registered at this time will not be allowed to vote on 23 June, one source said.
The crashed site is expected to be raised at prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday. The issue is expected to be raised at prime minister’s questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Late on Tuesday, a string of opposition politicians called for an extension of the deadline on Twitter.Late on Tuesday, a string of opposition politicians called for an extension of the deadline on Twitter.
Labour’s leader wrote:Labour’s leader wrote:
I'm told https://t.co/qXdulxPFk2 site has crashed so people can't register to vote for #EUreferendum. If so, deadline has to be extendedI'm told https://t.co/qXdulxPFk2 site has crashed so people can't register to vote for #EUreferendum. If so, deadline has to be extended
The Lib Dem Leader, Tim Farron, described the late-night crash as a “shambles” and blamed the government.
“With individual voter registration, and a big campaign to encourage young people to register, many of whom have been trying to do so last-minute, this could have major consequences for the result,” he said. Gloria De Piero, the shadow cabinet office minister, said the Cabinet Office site showed that there were 26,629 people attempting to register six minutes before the midnight deadline. “Government MUST extend the deadline for 24 hours,” she wrote on Twitter.
“Evidence shows younger people are overwhelmingly pro-European, and if they are disenfranchised it could cost us our place in Europe. It could also turn them off democracy for life. Voters must be given an extra day while this mess is sorted out urgently,” he said.
Gloria De Piero, the shadow cabinet office minister, said that the Cabinet Office site showed that there were 26,629 people attempting to register six minutes before the midnight deadline. “Government MUST extend the deadline for 24 hours,” she wrote on Twitter.
Yvette Cooper, the former Labour minister, also called for the government to extend the deadline. “People cannot be denied the right to vote because computer says no,” she tweeted.Yvette Cooper, the former Labour minister, also called for the government to extend the deadline. “People cannot be denied the right to vote because computer says no,” she tweeted.