Britain's missing million voters

The Government has pushed forward reforms to change the way that voters are registered in the UK, meaning that every elector now needs to register to vote individually, rather than by household. These reforms were hasty, and ill thought-through, and the democratic consequences are extremely serious.

Figures released by local authorities indicate that as a direct result of these changes there are now nearly a million fewer voters on the electoral register than a year ago, with a disproportionate drop-off amongst students and young people who rent.

With an election looming in 4 months' time, it is absolutely critical that these ‘lost’ voters are brought back onto the register before it's too late and they lose the right to vote. Young people, and particularly students will simply lose their political voice unless we act to put this scandal right.

Ed Miliband wrote to University Vice-Chancellors , Local Authority leaders and the Electoral Commission urging them to take steps to tackle this, including promoting the new registration system and organising registration drives.

This election is about a choice that will have an impact for generations to come, and about who we want Britain to work for. And this mess is a direct result of the Government ignoring warnings that rushing these changes through would be bad for our democracy.

Ed Miliband has declared a national mission to give these missing voters their voices back - we urgently need to re-enfranchise this missing million.