Divine comedy
VOTERS were turned away from polling stations yesterday after the introduction of a controversial new ID scheme descended into chaos in parts of the country.
Voters were yesterday required to produce identification in five areas under a government pilot, which could be rolled out nationwide.
However, there was confusion in several pilot areas amid reports that people had been disfranchised because they arrived without identification, with reports that pensioners had been turned away. The trial means voters have to show photographic ID, or two items showing their address from a list of approved documents.
Bromley, Gosport, Swindon, Watford and Woking councils were piloting the scheme to help cut down on voter fraud.
In Bromley four polling stations reportedly turned away voters for not having ID. Ellie Reeves, the local Labour MP, said: “Just been to vote. Was informed that two people had already turned up without ID this morning so had been unable to vote.
“Very worrying and backs up all the evidence that the voter ID pilot in Bromley is plain wrong.” A 76-year-old man, who has lived in Bromley for 40 years, said he was “shocked” to be turned away because he did not have a bank card or passport.
Peter White told the Independent: “I’ve come to vote today and they’ve told me I can’t, even though they know me down here. This is a nonsense scheme they’re putting in place.”
In Woking, a Labour councillor said a man was turned away because his form of ID – a Surrey county council document with his picture on it – was not accepted. Elsewhere in Woking, one voter said he had initially been told he could not use his rail photo pass as identification. Voters in Swindon also faced problems. One resident said on Twitter: “Just seen a couple in a Swindon polling station have to leave and (I hope) return with Id/poll card. May seem a small deal, but I bet there are many who will not return.”
Another said: “80-odd-year-old woman who has voted all her life was turned away when I went to vote in Swindon today, guess she didn’t have ID, probably threw her poll card away, never needed it to vote before, she was fuming, pointless trial, this is wrong.”
Bradford council, which is not part of the pilot, apologised after voters were wrongly turned away from poll- ing stations for not having ID. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Voter ID is being piloted in a small number of locations. The facts are that all local authorities have told voters to bring an eligible form of ID in pilot areas. The overwhelming majority of people are casting a vote without a problem.”
Scotland Yard is investigating more than 60 allegations of voting abuses and malpractice in London. Eleven cases have been reported to police in Hammersmith and Fulham by the Conservatives.