Burnham rushes to axe photo ID checks at elections
Andy Burnham is rushing through laws to scrap photo ID checks in polling stations amid mounting speculation he will call an early general election, The Telegraph can reveal.
The Prime Minister has been accused of “ramming through” the controversial changes, which mean people will be allowed to vote with only a bank card as identification.
Under current laws, which the Conservatives introduced in 2023, voters are required to bring photo ID with them to polling stations.
But the new proposals, drafted in the Representation of the People Bill, intend to expand the type of eligible ID to include bank cards with no photograph of its owners. The Electoral Commission has raised concerns about the plan.
It isn't easy to be wildly concerned about these shenanigans. Clearly, some level of concern should be easy because democracy is important, but it isn't.
Experience does not suggest that UK voters are generally competent voters, in that they pay attention to the costs and extent of government incompetence, the widespread failures of party politics and how it curtails their lives. Curtails their lives to an extent which ought to be at least mildly embarrassing we might add.
It is not obvious that voters generally understand how to inform themselves about government inadequacies at even the most basic level, that it to say, beyond crude media bias and party political propaganda.
Yes the political terrain is being manipulated and Team Burnham may have their collective eye on the advantages and disadvantages of an early election. They do seem intent on playing various legal games to tilt the board in their favour, but millions will not be outraged and millions more won't notice.
No, it isn't easy to be wildly concerned.
5 comments:
You're correct, I am not wildly concerned - I've learned to just shrug at each additional measure implemented to appease the Muslim vote, and that is what this is.
It certainly doesn't matter where I live, because the people manning the polling station are always people I know, and who know me.
But it's not us this is aimed at, is it?
Year in, year out, the red rosetters do not think, but dutifully vote.
Peter - that's right, it's not aimed at us. We live in a former coal mining area and don't see the problem, which at times makes much of the rest of the UK seem like another country.
James - it's easier that way, just an extension of supporting anything else such as a football club.
Perhaps the Banks could ask for a judicial review on the basis that bank cards do not certify identity only authority to access a bank account? Or if the law goes through, crack teams of gossip mongers could claim that any bank cards used at polling stations could be read remotely and used to defraud voters that used them?
DJ - that's it, they don't certify identity. Presumably, even the authority to access a bank account can't be checked at the polling station. As long as it doesn't work it will do.
Post a Comment