British Soldiers Unable To Vote In General Election - “No Helicopters, No Equipment, No Vote”, says Dan Byles

Conservative prospective MP and former soldier Dan Byles - who left the Army to stand in North Warwickshire in the coming General Election - has expressed his deep concern over what he described as the 'shambles' that could lead to British soldiers who are fighting in Afghanistan not being able to vote.

Most countries make provisions for soldiers on operational duty to vote in theatre in mobile voting booths, but British soldiers are reliant upon the postal voting system.

With return mail to British Forces Post Office addresses taking up to twelve days for troops stationed in Germany, and up to fifteen days for Afghanistan, there simply isn't time for postal ballots to reach soldiers and to get back within the nine or so days allowed.

Dan Byles has been a regular campaigner for soldiers' welfare and conditions, and he described it as a slap in the face to young men and women fighting to bring democracy to other countries.

Dan said:

"The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy. These brave soldiers signed up to defend our democracy - and many are fighting to bring democracy to the people ofAfghanistan. So it is a scandal that the current voting system makes no attempt to help soldiers serving overseas to cast their votes.

"Even soldiers based in Germany will struggle, given the time that post takes through the British Forces Post Office system.

"What makes this scandal worse is that we have known about this for years. In the 2005 General Election, only 46% of servicemen and women managed to vote. At the time, the Government promised to deal with this problem. But just weeks from another General Election, it seems that once again it is the poor squaddie who will suffer for Ministerial incompetence.

"Given that Gordon Brown has repeatedly cut the defence budget and starved our troops of resources and equipment during time of war, and given that he has since been caught lying about his defence cuts to the Iraq Inquiry, perhaps he has an ulterior motive for making sure that our soldiers can't vote?

"I left the Army to stand for election because I was fed up with politicians. And every day this Government gives me another reason to feel that I was right to do so. Change can't come soon enough."