Poland's 'new Scots' urged to book place in May poll

SCOTLAND'S 40,000 Polish immigrants are being urged to take up their right to vote, with just 100 days remaining before the May elections.

As the countdown to the Scottish elections begins in earnest, EU immigrants are being encouraged to make their vote count on 3 May.

In what promises to be one of the tightest elections Scotland has ever seen, political analysts believe that the Polish vote could be an important factor, especially in marginal seats such as Edinburgh South, held by the Liberal Democrats on a knife-edge majority of just 158 votes.

The VoteScotland campaign yesterday urged the nation's "new Scots" to register before the deadline on 18 April or lose their vote.

Tad Kryszak, from Lublyn, in Poland, has settled in Edinburgh and is keen to have his say in Scotland's future.

"I've only been in Scotland for seven months but I want to spend the rest of my life here. I want to play a part in the future."

A high turnout is predicted and the parties have been warned they will pay a high price if they ignore east European voters.

Sarah Oates, a senior lecturer in the University of Glasgow's department of politics, said: "There tends to be a high turnout among Polish voters. Politicians would be wise to court these new voters."

Registration forms have been translated into ten languages, including Polish, French and Chinese.