UUP: Sinn Fein electoral roll claims the ‘very definition of fake news’

Sinn Fein claims that the renewal of the Northern Ireland electoral register is a ‘purge’ of legitimate voters, is the “very definition of fake news,” Robbie Butler has said.
A Northern Ireland election countA Northern Ireland election count
A Northern Ireland election count

The Ulster Unionist chief whip at Stormont was commenting after Sinn Fein posted an online video with the claim: “The British Government is planning a mass purge of voters in the North. This is a blatant attempt to suppress the voice of citizens in next year’s historic assembly election.”

In response, the NIO tweeted: “This is not true. Canvass is not about removing people, but ensuring the register is as accurate as possible. Registering to vote is fundamental to the democratic process and people cannot remain on the NI register indefinitely without refreshing their registration.”

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New UK-wide legislation introduced in 2010 required the register to be updated at least every 10 years, however, this was postponed in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic.

It is now scheduled to take place between July and December this year, with a number of measures in place to ensure the re-registration process is as simple as possible.

Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O’Neill later revealed that she has called for an urgent meeting with the NI Secretary of State Brandon Lewis.

She said: “Plans by the British government and the Electoral Office to wipe the existing electoral register are very concerning as it could lead to tens of thousands of people losing their vote.”

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Following further public debate around the issue on Thursday, Robbie Butler said: “The most basic democratic principles are that elections are free and fair. Underpinning this is the notion that the Electoral Roll itself is as accurate and up to date as possible.

People die, they move house, they change their names, they leave Northern Ireland, other people arrive and over time the register will inevitably become less accurate and need to be updated.

“Just last week Michelle O’Neill urged many to ‘dial down the rhetoric.’ Perhaps this is a chance to lead by example, because for Sinn Fein to claim that the legal requirement to update the register is some kind of purge, is quite frankly worthy of Donald Trump, who claimed the US Presidential election was bogus with no evidence to support such a claim, and in doing so undermined the democratic process.

“Here we have Sinn Fein seeking to undermine our own democratic process with inflammatory language, and that is utterly shameful from a leading party of government.”

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Mr Butler added: “The Ulster Unionist Party has confidence in the Electoral Office and the process. We welcome the updating of the register and have no doubt that the period from July to December will be sufficient to ensure that Northern Ireland can develop a new and updated register which is accurate.

“Sinn Fein would be better served by encouraging people to register, rather than indulging in inflammatory propaganda that is designed to undermine confidence in the electoral process here.”

Speaking on the Nolan Show on Thursday morning, DUP MP Gavin Robinson hinted that a complaint to Twitter – with a view to having the Sinn Fein video removed for breaching rules on misinformation – was likely.

In a social media message on Wednesday, the Electoral Office NI said: “The canvass is a statutory duty and will open at the start of July. People will be able to register during the following five months.

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“The Electoral Office will be supporting everyone in Northern Ireland who is eligible to get on the register during those five months.

“Details of the canvass will be sent to every house and registration will be available online with paper available if needed.”

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