During the back end of a political year of barely contained mayhem, the government released – with little fanfare – the latest details on its new voter ID laws. Gone are the days when you could stroll into a polling station, give your name and address and then receive a ballot. From May, everyone intending to vote in person will have to prove who they say they are with one of a limited range of acceptable ID.
The Guardian’s political correspondent Peter Walker tells Nosheen Iqbal that this delivers on a promise laid out in a previous Tory manifesto, but comes with barely any explanation of why it is necessary. While Northern Ireland already requires it, voter impersonation fraud is barely detectable in the rest of the UK. It has led to opposition parties accusing the government of cynical US-style ‘voter suppression’ tactics: young and marginalised people (who are least likely to back the Tories) will be most likely to struggle with the new rules.
As the government launches its awareness campaign about the changes, the May local elections approach. Will the message get through? Or could we see crowds of potential voters turned away from polling stations, leading to results being contested?
Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA
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