May 3rd 2024.
Yesterday, there was a bit of a stir at a polling station in South Oxfordshire. It seems that former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was turned away from voting when he arrived without an acceptable form of photo ID. Can you believe it? The same man who introduced the Elections Act in 2022, which requires photo ID, was caught unprepared.
According to Sky News, Mr. Johnson was attempting to cast his ballot for the police and crime commissioner for the Thames Valley. But when he arrived, the polling station staff told him he couldn't vote until he had the proper ID. Talk about irony!
It seems that Mr. Johnson was not the only one caught off guard. Another MP, Tom Hunt, also found himself in a similar situation. He had to ask for help from local members to act as his 'emergency proxy' because he had no appropriate ID to vote in the local council elections. A screenshot of their conversation was even published by ITV political correspondent Harry Horton.
But let's backtrack a bit. The Elections Act, which Mr. Johnson introduced, has been quite controversial. Some fear that it would discourage people from voting, especially those from disadvantaged groups. In order to vote now, you must show proof of identity, whether it's a passport, driving licence, or a PASS-accredited student card.
The Electoral Commission has a list of approved forms of ID that you can show. However, if you wear a face covering for religious, cultural, or medical reasons, you will have to briefly remove it for the clerk to check your face against your photo. Don't worry, there will be a private area to use, and female staff members are available for women who would prefer to have their identity confirmed by a woman.
Last year, the Electoral Commission warned that the new law could exclude hundreds of thousands of people, including those with disabilities and from minority ethnic backgrounds. In fact, in last May's local elections, 14,000 people were not able to vote because they didn't have acceptable ID.
So, it's understandable that some people, like Mr. Johnson and Mr. Hunt, may have forgotten about this new requirement. But don't worry, they weren't the only ones. In England, passports, driving licences, blue badges, and certain local travel cards are accepted forms of voter ID. A spokesperson for Mr. Johnson did not deny that he had failed to bring ID, simply stating that he voted Conservative. I guess it's safe to say that this incident may have left a bit of a dent in his ego.
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