Race to Register!

4.09.50pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 2nd Apr 2004

With only days before the deadline to register to vote in the European elections, Bill Newton Dunn, the Lib Dem Euro-MP for the East Midlands is urging voters to put their names down.

"The deadline to register is 13 April but with the Easter weekend this means that in practice, applications must be received by 8 April. If you have not yet registered, log on to

www.electoralcommission.org.uk or contact your local council. Time is running out!"

"EU citizens from the other 24 Member and Accession States are also eligible to vote - providing they register", he reminded East Midlanders.

The Office of National Statistics recently released statistics showing a worrying drop in the number of people registering to vote since December 2002.

"If you don't register now, it will be another five years before you will have the chance to change the make-up of the European Parliament," warned Mr Newton Dunn.

"The EU and the European Parliament matter. EU law has a substantial impact on Member States in areas as diverse as animal welfare, industry, and consumers' rights. Over 90% of UK environmental legislation come from the EU. The European Parliament has the power to accept, amend or reject the majority of legislation and has joint authority over the budget with the Council and therefore power over how to spend citizens' money."

"Democracy needs the support and participation of the people. It is vital that people vote, and to do that they must register. The growing trend of apathy desperately needs addressing. It is a damning fact that more than twice as many people voted in the Big Brother final than in the 1999 European Elections. Declining turnout also makes it easier for extremist parties to get a hold."

Turnout in the East Midlands for the 1999 European Elections was only 22.61%, compared to a national average of 24%. In the region, the highest turnout was in West Derbyshire (29.8%) and the lowest in Leicester West (16.3%). This is compared with 59.12% across England in the 2001 general election - a drop of over 50%.

ENDS

Notes for the editor:

11 million people voted in the European Elections in 1999. 23 million in the Big Brother final.

Between December 2002 and December 2003 the number of people registered to vote in UK parliamentary elections decreased by 245,300 (0.6 per cent) to 44,118,053, according to statistics published by the Office for National Statistics 26 February 2004.