Voters have told the BBC of their anger at being unable to vote in local elections due to new ID rules, which critics say should be dropped. James Greenhalgh, from Leeds, said he was "livid" after being unable to vote in Thursday's local elections, having left his passport at home. "I've voted all my life since I was 18, and this is the first time I haven't," the 32-year-old told the BBC. Mr Greenhalgh said he was "half-heartedly" aware of the new rules, but didn't think about them when heading to the polling station late on Thursday evening. "A passport isn't something you carry around with you everywhere you go," he said, adding that while the staff at the polling station were apologetic, he was "devastated" by the development. He acknowledges he was aware of the new rules!! The whole tone of the report suggests BBC sh*t stirring again when yuu read it. Whether you agree or not with the rules the examples they give of people failing to comply with the requirements to vote are weak as p*ss .
Not really. It shows that the new rules DO put people off voting and if that is the case then the rules don't work. No point in verifying every voter if only 2 people can be arsed to take ID with them so only 2 people can vote. Instead of saying that everyone's excuse isnt good enough maybe it would be more beneficial to say why have the majority of the country refused to vote using the new rules. That to me suggests that the rules are wrong.
I'm used to carrying ID because of my job but I know there's lots of people who don't have any ID and won't bother to get some just to vote
I don't think there's a big enough problem here to warrant the need of an ID. It does stink of trying to deter potential voters to me
The only photo ID i possess is my passport. Drivers licence is a paper copy. My passport is in a safe place at home 99% of the time. The photo ID thing is fine if your country has a national id card system. We don’t. I got my passport out to vote yesterday, but this whole thing is just another scheme by the Tories to prevent younger people from voting.
And it's an attempt to get support for a national ID system. 'well we already have to have one for elections, it's not too big a step to just have a national ID'
this whole thing is just another scheme by the Tories to prevent younger people from voting.[/QUOTE] Exactly this. Bus passes count, student i.d. doesn't. I really hope it cost the Tories more votes than anyone else.
Exactly this. Bus passes count, student i.d. doesn't. I really hope it cost the Tories more votes than anyone else.[/QUOTE] Is that right? Wow
Pathetic Tory election tactic. More worryingly, an attempt to acclimatise the populace to a more controlling future system of governing. Fortunately, they’re doomed for a couple of decades at least.
Especially as it looks like the Greens might become the (socialist) choice for those who could never vote Labour.
what a strange thread title? surely you should be pointing out a totally unnecessary situation implemented to pander to the right wing. Unless of course……..
Agree with what many have said. There is hardly any voter fraud at all in this country. Basically the Tories are now trying to cheat to win elections. It should be called out as that by Labour, lib dems etc etc every chance they get. I hope the cheats never beat. Utter disgrace and totally undemocratic. Cheating ffs.
Is that right? Wow[/QUOTE] Yep. Bus passes count, student bus passes don’t. They know the young ‘Uns won’t vote for them.
Yep. Bus passes count, student bus passes don’t. They know the young ‘Uns won’t vote for them.[/QUOTE] Jesus I just looked into it and I'm shocked that an oyster card for a student isnt allowed but an oyster card for an OAP is. That has got to be illegal under age discrimination laws! Every single person voting for this corrupt government both yesterday and during general elections should be utterly ashamed of themselves. There's absolutely no justification for it except for it
Not at all. I was not commenting on the rights and wrongs of the regs (although anything that reduces the potential for voter fraud is good IMO) It was the fact that the main example used was someone who knew he had to have identity but either forgot or ignored the rule and was then livid that he had been refused access. Try doing that at Oakwell...i.e. leave (forget) your season ticket and then claim 'victim' when denied access Incidentally, UK paranoia regarding ID cards is a bit of a joke amongst many who are not UK residents.. Of twenty-six EU Member States that issue identity cards to their nationals, identity card ownership is compulsory in 15 Member States. No-one feels threatened or controlled by this except conspiracy theorists. They are quite useful in lots of situations especially the new biometric ones.
shïte analagy. Forget your id card at oakwell tfe kind souls pribtbyku snother one and let you in once your proved who you are via other means. As has been said many times in this thread sone of those other means aren’t acceptable at the polling station. this is shíte and any attempt to justify it under voter fraud is laughable. Like your thread title. Oh any by the way have you just used one of the great things the EU do to further make a point??? Seriously??? My ghast is well and truly flabbered.