UUP made bogus election forms, says Adams
David Trimble’s Ulster Unionist Party was today facing allegations that it produced bogus electoral registration forms in Northern Ireland.
Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams said, after a meeting with the North's Chief Electoral Officer Denis Stanley, that he had received confirmation the UUP was suspected of printing its own forms.
The West Belfast MP said: “The Electoral Office confirmed for us that the Ulster Unionist Party had printed their own registration forms – bogus forms - and indeed applications had been made for votes in these forms.
“We were alerted to this at a meeting last week by the Electoral Commission and, as I said, the Electoral Office confirmed that the UUP is the party which is at fault.”
UUP leader Mr Trimble, at Stormont for the unveiling of a portrait of the province’s 108 Assembly members, would not be drawn on the claims.
“I am not familiar with this,” the Upper Bann MP told journalists.
“I am not in a position to comment.”
It is understood that the bogus forms were discovered because they did not contain a barcode which were on the official forms.
Mr Stanley was due to raise the issue with the Ulster Unionists in a letter.
It was not clear how many duplicate forms applying for votes were discovered by the Electoral Office.
Mr Adams said today it was “quite bizarre that a party which galloped at this new legislation is now itself in breach.
“Why on earth did it go and print its own forms?”
The Sinn Fein leader said he expected the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland to write to Mr Trimble.
But he added: “I think this is a matter for public concern on the back of the potential flaw (in the registration process) which will lead to people being disenfranchised.”
Mr Adams again expressed concern about the registration process which requires all voters in Northern Ireland to have photographic ID when they cast their votes in future elections.
He estimated that as of today 170,000 voters were still not on the register and he said he “very much doubted” whether all those who should be eligible to vote would be able to exercise it.
