NEW research has revealed just over half of UK adults - 52% - said they would support compulsory voting taking place in the UK, while 25% would be opposed.

Wirral's turnout for the 2010 general election was comparatively high in three constituencies Wirral West, 71.52 Wirral South, 71.13 Wallasey, 63.19 and Birkenhead's was lowest at 56.27

Adam Drummond, of Opinium Research which carried out the survey, said: “Australia introduced compulsory voting in 1924 after turnout in elections dropped sharply and the UK has seen a similar drop since 2001 when only 59% of eligible voters bothered to take part.

He added: “There’s evidence more people vote when it looks like it’s going to be a close election and this year looks like it’ll be the closest election for decades so the trend of increasing turnout since 2001 looks set to continue this year.”