UNIVERSITIES and Labour councils have been accused of registering thousands of students to vote without their knowledge in a bid to boost left-wing turnout.

An investigation in uni city Plymouth has so far identified 850 students and under 17-year-olds on the electoral register who had not completed their own applications.

Thousands of students are thought to have been registered to vote without their knowledge Credit: Getty - Contributor

Plymouth has identified 850 students on the electoral roll who didn't completed their own applications Credit: Alamy

Of those, 352 had already received polling cards from the Labour council before sceptics blew the whistle.

It is illegal to register ­anyone else to vote.

Three Tory candidates in the South West last night wrote to the Electoral Commission to ask for a full investigation amid suspicions the same process is being carried out nationwide.

One candidate, Defence Minister Johnny Mercer, told The Sun: “My fear is many councils and universities might also be doing this.

“Where seats are held or lost with just double digit numbers, this practice could have a strategic impact in the outcome of elections.”

The illicit Plymouth registrations affect three constituencies.

Two — Plymouth Moor View and Plymouth Sutton and Devonport — are expected to see close fights between Tories and Labour.

Students and the under 24s predominantly back leftwing parties and favour Remain over Leave.

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Last night Plymouth Council admitted a “procedural error” meant student information was uploaded to its electoral system before the students had a chance to register.

It added: “All these students are being removed from the register.”

The council was reprimanded in May over similar circumstances.

Johnny Mercer has written to the Electoral Commission to ask for a full investigation Credit: PA:Press Association

It is illegal to register anyone else to vote since a legal change in 2014 Credit: Alamy

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