Minister brushed off watchdog warning that voter ID plans are not ‘workable’

‘Insufficient time’ to roll out reforms in time for elections in May, says Electoral Commission chief

(PA)

A government minister brushed aside warnings from the UK’s democracy watchdog that the introduction of voter ID for elections next year was neither “secure” nor “workable”.

Electoral Commission chair John Pullinger said that delays to government legislation meant there was “insufficient time” to roll out the scheme properly for the 4 May 2023 ballots for English councils and mayoralties.

In a letter to the then communities secretary Simon Clarke, obtained by Open Democracy under a freedom of information request, Mr Pullinger warned that the commission had “fundamental concerns” about the plan to make voters bring photo ID to polling stations.