'No' to civic obligation voting plan, says UKIP MEP

'No' to civic obligation voting plan

A proposal to make voting a 'civic obligation' is not the right way forward, said UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall.

"It is sad that the turnout at election time is usually depressingly low but I don't think we should force people to vote," said the MEP.

His comments were made on the day that Labour MP's David Winnick motion to make it a ‘civic obligation’ is to be debated in the House of Commons.

"What is really needed is to engage people in politics, both locally and nationally, though that is a hard task as professional politicians have made it so boring.

"But it can be done, think of Scotland's independence referendum which resulted in an 85% turnout. People engaged on both sides of the debate and we should learn lessons from that.

"Also a proportional voting system would be better way and could well encourage the electorate to make their views known at the ballot box.

"Postal voting has been pushed as a way of increasing the vote but that comes with the danger of electoral fraud, as has been demonstrated in various parts of the country," said Mr Nuttall, North West Euro-MP.

"The turnout at local elections is particularly low, except when it coincides with a General Election but even then the turnout in 2010 was only 65.1%.

"I would love to see a much higher turnout but people are entitled to make their own decisions in life and compulsory voting is not the way," he said.