At least three local councils across England and Wales have admitted that they ran out of time to print and send postal ballots for the European elections to some overseas voters, leaving them effectively disenfranchised.

Group of MEPs writes to Electoral Commission over reports of ballot paper delays. / The Electoral Commission has been asked to permit late postal votes for the European parliament elections to be counted as reports continue of many British nationals living abroad receiving their ballot papers too late to return on time.

Thousands of British nationals living abroad have been deprived of their votes in today’s elections due to administrative errors by UK authorities, according to widespread reports.

The BBC has been contacted by British expats from across the world who say their postal voting forms have arrived late, or not at all.