Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins has explained why he is backing calls from charities and anti-poverty groups to oppose the damaging proposals to introduce voter ID for UK elections.

The proposals within the Elections Bill, which returns to the Commons today (Monday) for its remaining stages before becoming law. Within the bill, a specific requirement would be made for voters to present a form of photo ID at a polling station so they can vote.

Voter ID is set to cost taxpayers £120 million with funds diverted from other vital services like the NHS and crime.

Toby said: “Millions of people in this country would find it extremely difficult to vote. According to recent estimates, 9 and a half million people lack a passport; and 9 million do not have a driving license. The people who would be excluded would be those who are most vulnerable – the elderly, people who are in poverty, or people with disabilities.”

He added, “It seems to me to be an extremely laborious solution to such a tiny problem; In 2019, a year with a high turnout general election, the UK saw just one conviction for impersonation out of over 59 million votes – so someone is more likely to get struck by lightning three times. In reality the numbers of frauds that would have to be committed to affect an election result in a UK election mean that it is not a crime that would ever pay.”

It comes as Labour tables a number of amendments to the bill which would remove the requirement for voter ID at elections along with other provisions such as keeping the support for those who are partially sighted or blind to access voting at a polling station or further transparency for political donations.

Mr Perkins concluded by saying; “ It is ironic that whilst the government wish to make it harder for deprived people to vote, they also wish to do more to hide where the big money is that attempts to influence UK elections. Many of the provisions within the Bill are a step back for democracy and for that reason I will voting with my Labour colleagues to oppose this bill.”

Stop the Tories stealing your vote
Stop the Tories stealing your vote
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