British Conservatives Eyeing Voter ID Requirement That Echoes Controversial U.S. Laws
On 5/12/21 at 10:22 AM EDT
Associated Press reported.
Civil liberties group said the law proposed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson s Conservative government could deprive millions of their vote, particularly the poor and members of ethnic minorities.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said Wednesday that the changes would protect the integrity of our electoral system against fraud and had nothing to do with party interests.
For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.
The British government announced Tuesday plans to toughen voting rules to require a photo ID at polling stations, a move it said will protect the democratic system against electoral fraud. Above, Prime Minister Boris Johnson chairs a session of the U.N. Security Council on climate and security at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on February 23, 2021, in London, England.
AP
The British government announced Tuesday a contentious plans to toughen election voting rules by requiring photo identification at polling stations.
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LONDON The British government has announced contentious plans to toughen election voting rules by requiring photo identification at polling stations, a move it says will protect the democratic system against electoral fraud.
But opponents and civil liberties groups say the law proposed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government could disenfranchise millions of voters, particularly the poor and members of ethnic minorities.
Civil Liberty Groups Come Out In Force Against “Unnecessary and Expensive” Voter ID Plans
Trials of mandatory voter ID have been run across the UK in recent years (Alamy)
11 May
Plans announced in the Queen’s Speech to require voters to produce photo identification at polling stations has been criticised as “an unnecessary and expensive distraction” by multiple charities and research groups.
The government insists the new legislation will help “strengthen and renew democracy” by ensuring the “integrity of elections”.
But critics argue the proposals could disenfranchise huge swathes of the electorate and reduce turnouts as people are discouraged from heading to polling stations.
The best electoral systems are the most inclusive. This government plan will lock out many legitimate voters
Votes for the London mayoral election being counted at Olympia, London, 7 May. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Votes for the London mayoral election being counted at Olympia, London, 7 May. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Tue 11 May 2021 08.46 EDT
Last modified on Wed 12 May 2021 05.26 EDT
Last week millions of voters across Britain went to the ballot box in a bumper set of elections. But government plans to restrict access to the ballot box could mean that Thursday’s elections will have been among the last of their kind to be fair and free in the UK.