Oscar Parry, South East London Socialist Party
The government has unveiled its latest attack on democracy – a new law requiring all voters to have photo ID at the ballot box for general elections and English local elections. Two million people – more than 4% of registered voters – currently lack the accepted forms of identification, which include valid passports and driving licences.
Those who have no ID can sign up for a ‘voter authority certificate’. But only 20,000 had applied a month into it being launched.
Fraud?
One of the main reasons given for requiring ID is to crack down on voter fraud. At the last general election, 164 cases of alleged electoral fraud were investigated by police.
There was just one conviction – of a person who grabbed a ballot box to prevent others from voting. Out of a total electorate of more than 47 million, this is obviously not about voter fraud.
The Tory government’s own research found that those with severely limiting disabilities, unemployed people, people without formal qualifications, and those who had never voted before, were all less likely to have photo ID.
The richer you are, the more likely you are to have ID. People who can’t afford to go on holiday don’t have passports, and those that can’t drive don’t have driving licences.
This is a targeted attack on voters who are the least likely to vote Conservative. As if further proof was needed, over 60s will be allowed to use their travel passes as ID, while students and younger voters will not be able to do the same.
When photo ID was first introduced for Northern Ireland elections, 25,000 people – 2.3% of the electorate – did not vote because they lacked the required identification. And the Tories say these new requirements could cost up to £180 million per decade to enforce.
Our right to protest
The capitalist system is increasingly incapable of providing for working-class people. With other attacks on democratic rights, including restrictions on the ability to protest, capitalist politicians are trying to undermine growing opposition to their system.
We urgently need a new mass workers’ party that will fight for a socialist alternative of inflation-busting pay rises, fully funded public services, council homes, rent control and more!
The Socialist Party is against the new law. But everyone without ID should apply for a voter authority certificate, so you can make your voice heard and vote for workers’ representatives – like those standing for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) – in the next election.
