A Labour Party MP has attacked the prospect of requiring ID to vote in elections.
Nadia Whittome, the MP for Nottingham East, took to Twitter to criticise the proposition that voters would need to show some form of identification when voting.
Her comments come following the announcement that requiring voter ID would form part of the Queen’s Speech on Tuesday. The speech will set out all the Government’s policy priorities for the coming year.
Ms Whittome argued that the introduction of voter ID would disenfranchise people of colour and the less well-off.
The MP wrote on Twitter:
Ms Whittome also released a TikTok video on the prospect of voter ID, in which she claimed that Boris Johnson was trying to suppress votes:
A Cabinet Office spokesperson responded to claims that voter ID is unnecessary by saying: “Showing identification to vote is a reasonable approach to combat the inexcusable potential for voter fraud in our current system and strengthen its integrity.
“Evidence shows that voter identification does not impact voter turnout and it has been operating in Northern Ireland with ease for decades.
“A broad range of photographic documents will be accepted, not just limited to passports and driver’s licenses, and will include expired documents. We have also always been clear that a free Voter Card will be available if needed.”
