Conservative Party co-chairman Dr Liam Fox

Britain could face a "Florida-style deadlock" if rules governing postal voting are not tightened, the Conservative Party co-chairman has warned.

Delivering a speech in his constituency this weekend, Liam Fox argued that Labour's "reckless fiddling with the electoral system" had undermined the public's confidence in it.

"Democratic legitimacy requires voters to believe the system is fair and secure," he said. 

"Labour have traded away the integrity of the system and our national reputation for fairness in pursuit of their own narrow interests. Their casual acceptance of the corruption of Britain's electoral practices stands as a monument to the new Labour project."

He went on to pledge that a Conservative government would work to create an accurate electoral register, ensuring that every individual can be identified by requiring proof of identity to vote either by post or in person.

"It is clear that Mr Blair's reckless fiddling with the electoral system has raised widespread public concern about the integrity of Britain's electoral system," he added.

"The electoral practices of the 19th and early 20th centuries, such as intimidation and fraud, risk becoming the hallmark of the 21st.  If the laws are not tightened, Britain risks a Florida-style deadlock that could derail any tightly-fought election."