Deputy part of Commonwealth team tasked with observing UK election
Ensuring democratic processes were completed correctly was the main task for Deputy Heidi Soulsby yesterday, as she undertook her duties as an independent observer of the UK general election.
Deputy Soulsby was one of 32 parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth selected by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to observe and assess the electoral process in eight different constituencies across the country.
States of Alderney member Ian Carter was also selected, as well as three politicians from Jersey.
Observations, findings and recommendations from the group will be included in a detailed report published in two months’ time.
The report will be shared with the Electoral Commission and returning officers to support work in analysing the election.
Based in Ilford South, a Labour-held East London constituency won in 2019 by the since deselected Sam Tarry, Deputy Soulsby began her duties alongside fellow CPA representatives from Malta, Lesotho and Kenya as polling opened at 7am. They visited a total of 13 different polling stations over the course of the day.
‘It’s mainly involved speaking to poll station officials, making sure forms have been completed correctly, making sure voters are presenting their voter ID and just generally observing that things are being done properly,’ she said.
In preparation for her responsibilities, Deputy Soulsby and her fellow observers were given two days of training, before spending a further two days looking around Ilford South and speaking to election candidates and officials.
Of the constituency’s approximate 131,000 residents, 58% are Asian or Asian British, 12.2% are white British, 11.1% are black or Black British, and 9.8% are other white.
Half of residents were born in the UK, 28.4% in the Middle East and Asia, 12.5% in Europe, and 6.8% in Africa.
‘It’s a diverse constituency, which is why I think it was chosen as one of the eight to be observed,’ Deputy Soulsby said.
‘The constituencies chosen are a mixture of rural and urban areas with varying demographics.’
She was also required to witness at least part of the vote count following the closure of polling stations at 10pm.
However, upon speaking to the Guernsey Press yesterday afternoon, she was unsure as to how late she would have to stay up.
‘We are playing it a little bit by ear. At the last election Ilford South didn’t declare until 6.30am so it could be a late night,’ she said.
