There's no legitimate public policy reason for introducing photo ID for voting in elections in the UK. Between 1983 and 2015 there were a total of 79 convictions for personation at elections (and not all of these related to in-person fraud) (1/)

I'm not sure how the narrative has built up that in-person voting has inherent ID weaknesses that make it especially susceptible to fraud. In-person electoral fraud is possibly the least effective way imaginable to swing an election's outcome (3/)

Beyond the democratic reasons, there are admin reasons too. The system we have at the moment treats the electoral register as conclusive. If you turn up at a polling station and assert your address and identity poll staff have no discretion to refuse to issue a ballot (4/)

Photo ID invites the introduction of discretion, and judgement, by poll staff in a way that will be a nightmare to manage. People's likenesses can change significantly over the course of the ten-year validity of a passport. (5/)

Non-UK citizens are permitted to vote in certain elections; will they be able to prove their identity with the passport of the country of which they're a citizen? If not, why not? (6/)

Apparently if you don't have a passport or driving licence you will be able to go and get a chit from the council to prove your identity. Good luck if (for example) you live in Halfwhistle in Northumberland and need to travel to Morpeth, over 2 hrs by public transport (7/ends)