The only 5 reactions you need to the government’s plan for voter ID
Successive governments have discussed the idea of making the production of photo ID mandatory when voting, but held back because of fears it disenfranchises those who can’t afford a passport or driver’s licence.
The current government has put it back on the table.
Boris Johnson to 'stop tens of thousands voting' by making photo ID mandatory by law at polling stations, Queen's Speech reveals https://t.co/AVIPSISQSn
— The Independent (@Independent) December 19, 2019
The issue split Twitter, with quite a lot of people arguing that it’s important to prevent voter fraud, something which has been shown to be of negligible relevance in the UK.
I think photo ID should be mandatory. Anyone who knows my address and name could pretend to be me and vote – I'm not sure why we need ID to pick up a parcel even with a 'we missed you' slipyet not for voting – baffles me!! https://t.co/wCuL8xDzu4
— Sophie (@trafotoz) December 19, 2019
When I voted for the first time at this election, I found it astonishing that I only needed to provide my name and address to receive my ballot. There was nothing stopping someone pretending to be me and taking my vote. This is a good measure to protect against electoral fraud. https://t.co/hvvZKpU25o
— Ali Abbas Panju (@ali_panju) December 19, 2019
Others weren’t happy at the loss of voting rights for people with less money – a demographic coincidentally far less likely to vote Conservative. These five caught the mood exactly.
1.
Voter ID? Okay, if the government wants me to prove who I am when I vote, I want them to prove who they are when they vote in parliament: full disclosure of who funds them, their financial and family interests, their shareholdings, directorships, associations and affiliations.
— paul bassett davies (@thewritertype) December 19, 2019
2.
From "thank you for lending us your vote" to "well you're not fucking voting next time" in five days https://t.co/10CDgs3O04
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) December 19, 2019
3.
My first gift to all the working class voters who went Conservative for the first time, is to make it much more difficult for you to vote at all ever again. https://t.co/d41AvJ66kL
— Matt Wain (@TheMattWain) December 19, 2019
4.
So this is how democracy ends
— Marcus_1 (@huttersm) 19 December 2019
5.
voting should be free. it costs money to get a passport, driving licence or ID card. there are many people who just can't afford to pay these fees. boris johnson knows exactly what he's doing – preventing the poor from voting next election so he can stay in power https://t.co/9bKsH7BQfB
— BEC ༺♡༻ (@rbkadale) December 19, 2019
David Hundeyin had a prediction.
Straight from the Republican playbook lol. Soon they'll start removing polling units from Hackney, Croydon and Lewisham, and assigning those districts to Newham and Kensignton.
The devil has no new tricks and you really hate to see it… https://t.co/0cEmjkkdou
— David Hundeyin (@DavidHundeyin) December 19, 2019
Do not give them ideas.
Source Independent Image Dom J and Element5 Digital on Pexels
