Less than picture perfect

If you want to vote in the forthcoming RBWM elections in May, then things are going to be a bit different this time round.

Traditionally you have been able to present yourself, announce your name and address and hey presto, you would be given a ballot paper on which to place your crosses (in most wards you are allowed to vote for two candidates).

As far as I am aware this system has worked wonderfully well since the Bill of Rights in 1689, so it is surprising to many that it is being changed.

When you turn up in May this time, you will need to show a form of photo ID, or you will not be allowed to participate in the election.

The Elections Act of 2022 has seen to that.

The mantra of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ seems relevant here.

Voter fraud is not a big deal.

In 2019, when the whole country last went to the polls, only 595 cases of alleged electoral fraud were investigated by the police.

Of these, four led to a conviction and two individuals were given a police caution.

Of all the problems in the country needing to be solved by legislation, this doesn’t appear to be that pressing.

Only two thirds of the UK population actually take the trouble to vote.

A third can’t even be bothered to vote in their own name and the figures above highlight how few people will try and vote in someone else’s name.

There is not even a hint of a suggestion that voter fraud has changed the result of any election in the UK, ever, at council or national level.

So why is this happening?

In 2017, the Conservative Party pledged to legislate on this issue, stressing it would improve the security and integrity of British elections (Northern Ireland have had it since 2003).

They say just bring your passport to the poll, it’s no big deal.

But 15 per cent of the population, mostly the poorest (and not likely to be Conservative voters), don’t have a passpor t.

Ok, they say, bring your driving licence. Again, this takes out a quarter of the population, who once again are more likely to be poor (and users of public transport) than rich.

Very few people who ride on buses are Tory donors.

Yes, there are other acceptable forms, like older person’s travel passes and you can even apply for a Voter Authority

Cer tificate.

Yet this seems like a crafty way of making it harder for the least privileged in society to vote. People more likely to vote Labour or Lib Dem.

Statistically these are likely to be young or black or from an ethnic minority group or disabled or a one parent family or part of a large family or on benefits.

These people need every bit of help that they can get, rather than to feel marginalised by our democratic process.