"Polling gimmicks no alternative to serious debate on Europe" says Liberal Democrat MEP

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 27th Aug 2004

"Polling gimmicks no alternative to serious debate on Europe" says Liberal Democrat MEP

Welcoming the Electoral Commission's independent report rejecting all-postal ballot elections, Andrew Duff, Constitutional Affairs Spokesman for the European Liberal Democrats said,

"The electorate cannot be fooled into voting by facile gimmicks. The European elections showed that where political parties are prepared to engage with voters on the real issues, turnout will increase.

My colleagues from other European countries couldn't understand what Britain was thinking of when it abolished the traditional polling station ballot.

This report is a victory for common sense. For once someone in a position of authority in Britain has admitted they were wrong. The government should now follow suit and accept the proposals of the Electoral Commission."

Note to editors:

The Electoral Commission's report 'Delivering Democracy' can be found at: http://www.electoralcommission.gov.uk