THOUSANDS of unregistered voters are being urged to sign up in East Lancashire.

The Electoral Commission have revealed figures which show up to 67,000 people in the area are not registered to vote.

As the voting registration changes to a more accurate system, up to 17,000 unregistered voters have been identified in Blackburn, 11,296 in Pendle, 10,662 in Burnley, 9915 in the Ribble Valley, 9375 in Hyndburn and 8667 for Rosendale.

Ribble Valley has the highest figure — 21 per cent — and the least is Hyndburn with 15.6 per cent.

Blackburn, Rossendale and Pendle are at 17 per cent and Burnley 16 per cent.

The figures, thought to affect areas with high numbers of private renting, have caused one MP to say it undermines the argument that constituency boundaries should be redrawn.

Under Conservative plans, the Hyndburn seat would be wiped from the map, with parts moving to Ribble Valley, Rossendale and Burnley.

Blackburn would stay largely the same while Darwen would be joined with part of Bolton.

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said: “That there are so many people unregistered per constituency at the last General Election is shocking.

“It also significantly undermines the argument the government had that current boundaries are unfair as it is clear that the current population figures are unreliable.

“Nationally 7.5million people are missing off the register, equivalent to 100 extra parliamentary seats. If they were all registered it would change the face of British politics.”

Mr Jones is also urging people back a campaign to encourage voter participation by emailing and tweeting the Electoral Commission.