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My brief(ish) take on Voter ID (Thread) 
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We all want a fair and transparent electoral system. Obviously. It’s the cornerstone of a healthy democracy. So, why is forcing people to show photo ID at their respective polling stations problematic? /1
We all want a fair and transparent electoral system. Obviously. It’s the cornerstone of a healthy democracy. So, why is forcing people to show photo ID at their respective polling stations problematic? /1
Firstly, you have the classic impediment to personal freedoms argument, articulated eloquently by a Tory MP in 2004:
“They (ID Cards) are a recipe for tyranny and oppression... I will take that card out of my wallet and physically eat it in the presence of whatever emanation /2
“They (ID Cards) are a recipe for tyranny and oppression... I will take that card out of my wallet and physically eat it in the presence of whatever emanation /2
of the state has demanded that I produce it”
Sound familiar? That’s probably because those were the words of our incumbent prime minister and former anti-ID Card crusader, Alexander “Boris” de Pfeffel Johnson.
Of course, he would say that then, as it was a labour government /3
Sound familiar? That’s probably because those were the words of our incumbent prime minister and former anti-ID Card crusader, Alexander “Boris” de Pfeffel Johnson.
Of course, he would say that then, as it was a labour government /3
that mooted the change. The key difference being that Tony Blair’s proposed plans involved a national roll out of personal ID Cards, which would have meant *every* UK citizen of voting age or over receiving a card proving their identity (as is the case in Germany, Poland and /4
the majority of EU member states for that matter). Sound fair? Because, arguably, it was.
The problem with the current proposals is that tories are, notably, not proposing such a scheme. Their proposals (currently) rely on the assumption that every eligible UK voter has /5
The problem with the current proposals is that tories are, notably, not proposing such a scheme. Their proposals (currently) rely on the assumption that every eligible UK voter has /5
valid photographic ID (i.e. a passport, driver’s license etc). This is obviously a false assumption - and that is the real problem.
This is because such a requirement will inevitably disproportionately and adversely affect voters from disadvantaged communities, young and /6
This is because such a requirement will inevitably disproportionately and adversely affect voters from disadvantaged communities, young and /6
first-time voters, and ethnic groups (47% of black people do not hold a driving licence for example) - (or, traditional Labour voters, if you’re crudely generalising).
Fast forward to 2021 and Johnson, in a trademark shift of position, says now that “I don’t think it’s /7
Fast forward to 2021 and Johnson, in a trademark shift of position, says now that “I don’t think it’s /7
unreasonable to ask first-time voters to produce some evidence of identity”. So, why the change of heart?
It would perhaps be a rational policy, if there were compelling evidence to suggest that the UK had a problem with electoral fraud. But it doesn’t. Far from it, in fact. /8
It would perhaps be a rational policy, if there were compelling evidence to suggest that the UK had a problem with electoral fraud. But it doesn’t. Far from it, in fact. /8
Out of more than 32 million votes cast in the 2017 GE there were ZERO cases of in-person voter fraud of the kind that would be prevented by voter ID. There were 6 reported incidents in the 2019 GE. Hardly the signs of an endemic threat to the integrity of our electoral system. /9
So, not only are these proposals akin to taking a sledge hammer to crack a nut, they’re doing so in such a way that would effectively exclude (and discriminate against) a not insignificant number of the electorate. As someone brighter than me commented yesterday, it’s /10
effectively putting the democratic right to vote “behind a paywall”.
So, what would be the impact on our democracy if this proposal went ahead? Well, (before you even consider the fact that Scotland could well be out if the equation in the not too distant future) when you /11
So, what would be the impact on our democracy if this proposal went ahead? Well, (before you even consider the fact that Scotland could well be out if the equation in the not too distant future) when you /11
combine this fact with the imminent gerrymandering planned by the government, the only conclusion to which you can realistically arrive is that this is a clear and cynical exercise in voter suppression.
Even Donald Trump wasn’t able to get away with this. /12
Even Donald Trump wasn’t able to get away with this. /12
If Johnson is allowed to, I genuinely think the tories are destined to become unmovable as our democracy will have effectively been engineered to prevent them from losing any future elections. And that is not a functional democracy. /END
*Stats from the Mirror & BBC News.
*Stats from the Mirror & BBC News.
