Voter ID

• Introducing voter ID to tackle a problem that barely exists was a naked attempt by the Government to disenfranchise people who are less likely to vote Conservative, namely, young people and lower income households who may not hold a passport or drivers licence.
• The introduction of Voter ID was a distinctly anti-democratic act by a Government terrified of scrutiny. It is part of their broader effort to close down all ways they can be held to account, on the streets, in the media and at the ballot box.
• With a general election looming, we are extremely concerned about the effect these new rules could have. We should be encouraging more people to vote, not preventing them from doing so.
• Best for Britain campaigned against voter ID legislation when the Elections Bill was going through parliament and managed to get some of the worst bits removed like new joint campaigning rules. 

Reactive

Voter ID in Northern Ireland The introduction of voter ID in Northern Ireland was to combat perceptions and accusations of electoral fraud after decades of political violence and democratic malfeasance by the governing party including gerrymandering and limiting the franchise. It is clear that electoral fraud is not an endemic problem in Britain and will probably deter more votes than it saves from fraud.

Supportive stats and facts

• The political agenda is exposed by the acceptance of some forms of ID and not others, such as the 60+ oyster card and bus passes but not the 18+ oyster card or Student ID.
• In May 2023, Jacob Rees Mogg further confirmed that this change was politically driven when he said, “”Parties that try and gerrymander end up finding their clever scheme comes back to bite them, as dare I say we found by insisting on voter ID for elections.”
• The Electoral Commission reported that 8% of the UK electorate, 3.5million people, have no form of Photo ID. This does not include people who have a Photo ID that has now been ruled out by the government, inc student ID and young people travel cards
• Only two people in more than 30 million were convicted of stealing another’s vote through in-person voter fraud during the last election.
• In May 2023, voters in some parts of England took part in the first local election in GB where they were required to present a mandatory photo ID. More than 14,000 people were turned away, losing their right to vote, because they did not have the correct ID.

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Naomi Smith:  “Scenes of people barred from the polls should offend everyone who believes in democracy. The introduction of Voter ID is another nakedly anti-democratic attempt by the Government to suppress voters less likely to support them.”