EIGHT out of ten Yorkshire voters did not take part in the 1999 Euro elections.

European MPs elected by such a small proportion of the population could barely claim a mandate. Clearly any further erosion in turnout will undermine democracy itself.

Earlier this year Westminster politicians finally delivered their answer to voter apathy. It will have arrived on your doormat in the last day or so - if you are lucky.

Ministers favour all-postal voting because previous trial schemes have seen an average turnout increase of about 15 per cent. So they decided to pilot European election postal ballots in four regions, including ours.

Demonstrating the conceit which is a hallmark of so much New Labour policy, they rejected the expert advice of the Electoral Commission, which only wanted two pilot schemes. After a ding-dong battle in the Commons, the Government finally got its way only last month.

This unnecessary wrangle has left local authorities with very little time to carry out the massive administrative task of a postal vote. There are fears that hundreds of thousands of people in areas such as Bradford and Newcastle will not receive their paperwork in time, putting the ballot in jeopardy for the whole region.

Genuine anxieties also exist about both the potential for fraud and the Royal Mail's ability to cope.

Even those voters who have received their form are likely to be confused by the fiddly instructions and need for a witness signature. Where is the advertising campaign to guide people through the new system?

All-postal voting is a mess which has no hope of reinvigorating our democracy. Politicians should realise that will only be achieved by root-and-branch reform of Europe to make it efficient and relevant to the voters of Yorkshire.

Updated: 10:25 Friday, May 28, 2004