When having a well known face doesn’t help
t made for one of the more amusing election stories when it emerged former
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was turned away from his local polling station after forgetting to take acceptable photo ID.
Of course, it was Johnson’s government which introduced rules requiring photo ID to vote in the Elections Act 2022.
The controversial legislation was brought in as a way to combat election fraud and, according to the Electoral Commission, about 14,000 people were unable to vote in last year’s local elections in England as a result.
It was considered controversial as critics
Isuggested the powers were less a way to crackdown on a crime which had seen very few prosecutions over the years, and more a political measure. The allegation being young people were less likely to have the sort of ID required and less likely to vote Conservative.
I have no doubt many people had to be reminded to take their ID when heading for the polling station.
Attempting to make conversation with the staff manning the poll, I asked if they had been forced to turn many people away.
At the same time one ventured a not very convincing, “no”, while the other offered an even less convincing, “we’re not allowed to tell you”.
I was left with the nagging sense that neither was telling the truth.
In Lancashire, Army veteran Adam Driver was among those who was turned away from his local polling station after presenting his veteran card as proof of ID.
Mr Driver described himself as “deflated,” and “gutted” at being forced to return home for something more suitable.
And Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer was moved to apologise to Mr Driver despite being among those who voted for the voter ID scheme when it was before the House of Commons
Like many things in life,
I’m sure we will get used to the requirement to carry ID to the ballot box as time goes by. In the meantime, Plymouth MP Mr Mercer has pledged to press for the veteran card to be added to the official list of recognised identification.