“Over the course of today, via email and on the doorstep, voters have been telling me that they have received letters from Swindon Borough Council saying they are to be removed from the electoral register and have 14 days to appeal. People have told me they are livid and some are deeply suspicious about the timing of this error.

I am concerned that with 5 weeks until polling day, many people will simply think they cannot participate. Swindon Borough Council needs to make sure that every elector wrongly advised today is added back onto the register and advised in person that they are registered. Any hint of removing anyone’s right to vote is simply unacceptable and a mistake on this scale is really unforgivable.”