THE Conservatives have “disenfranchised” voters in Scotland by holding the election in the first week of the school holidays, John Swinney has said.
The First Minister said he “deeply regrets” that some people in Scotland will not be able to vote in the General Election due to issues with postal votes and the timing of the ballot.
All but two of Scotland’s 32 local authorities – Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire – will have broken up for the school holidays by the election on July 4.
And issues with postal votes being sent out mean that people with holidays booked in may be left unable to vote entirely.
Speaking to Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News, Swinney said there had been “significant reports of people who were trying to vote by post who had applied properly for a postal vote before the deadline of June 19”.
He went on: “Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done.
“They have to be here to be able to exercise their postal vote, if it’s been delivered to the house, or if there is an alternative arrangement in place.
“There are no other proxy arrangements that can be put in place, but I think it’s illustrative of the fact there was no thought given to summer school holidays.”
Local councils are responsible for sending postal ballot forms to voters. Completed postal votes must have reached councils by 10pm on polling day, July 4.
They can be returned by post or handed in at council offices and can also be dropped at the correct polling station on election day.
Swinney said: “I warned when the election was called that it was going to take place during the Scottish school summer holidays, and many of our schools broke up for the summer last week.
“Those postal ballots have not arrived with people and some of them have now left the country, and they have been disenfranchised because of the timing of the election, which is something I deeply regret.
“I warned about the decision to have the election during the school holidays and welcome the fact that a number of local authorities in Scotland have taken emergency measures to establish centres which could enable people to exercise their postal vote.”
Former MSP Andy Wightman said on social media that one of his family members had been directly affected.
"Family member has not yet received postal vote. Away on holiday earlier today for a week and now cannot vote. Who should be held accountable for this shambles?" he wrote.
Swinney further said the SNP was a “unified and cohesive political party”, and the main concerns for voters were the cost-of-living crisis, cuts in public services and public spending.
Swinney said the party had had “a bit of a tough time”, but added that voters “will get a substantial number of greater services that are provided by the Scottish Government that better meet their needs than other parts of the United Kingdom”.
He added: “I came into leadership of the SNP about seven weeks ago and became First Minister to essentially strengthen the party, to build a relationship with the electorate.”
