Voter ID bill poses a danger to democracy say campaigners

UK government plans to introduce voter identification for elections poses an “unprecedented risk to democratic access and equality” according to MPS and campaigners.

The controversial proposals, which form part of the Boris Johnson’s Elections Bill, introduced to Parliament yesterday, would require voters at polling stations to produce photo ID before being able to vote.

The move has sparked concerns that millions of people could be turned away for lacking the required identification.

The Electoral Reform Society says the government’ s own figureshave suggested roughly 2.1 million people could be unable to vote in a general election due to not having recognisable photo ID, and its own research has found that 56 per cent of those surveyed would be “unlikely or very unlikely” to apply for a free elector card.

A further 42 per cent of those with no photo ID said they would be “unlikely or very unlikely” to apply for the card to allow them to cast a ballot.

The Bill has already attracted opposition from across the House of Commons with Conservative MP David Davis calling it “an illogical and illiberal solution to a non-existent problem” and Labour’s Cat Smith, Shadow Secretary of State for Young People and Democracy, saying the government was “trying to change the rules and rig our democracy in their favour”.

Dr Jess Garland, Director of Policy and research at the electoral Reform Society, which has been a leading campaigner against the plans, said the Bill showed “the government’ s total reckless approach to protecting our democracy.”

She added: “Millions of people lack photo ID in this country. These proposals will make it harder to vote for hugevoters, locking ordinary people out of our democracy and unfairly discriminating against those who lack ID.

“Groups representing millions ofp eople–from homelessness charities, older persons’ groups, LGBT+ campaigners and civil liberties activists – are sounding the alarm about these plans. Ministers must now think again on these dangerous proposals and focus on combating the real threats to our democracy.”

Currently, voters need to only give their name and address to be able to vote, but the UK government claims additional measures are required to make the system fairer by tightening the rules for absent voting and to prevent voter intimidation and fraud.