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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be shocked by plan to disenfranchise the poor.

196 replies

Fab39ish · 21/05/2017 10:33

Just seen a report on my facebook feed which suggests that the Government want to make it compulsory to provide photo ID to vote.
What happens to people who don't drive or have a passport?
Is there a national cheap photo ID card you can buy. But even so if you are poor maybe you won't be able to afford that?

OP posts:
slightlyglitterbrained · 21/05/2017 10:35

They won't be able to vote.

And yes, it's a cynical ploy based on a complete non-problem. But it sounds good and very spinnable for the papers.

Original poster
Fab39ish · 21/05/2017 10:45

Yep I have two siblings in this very situation and funnily enough they have never voted Tory in their life.

OP posts:
Lilicat1013 · 21/05/2017 10:46

To the best of my knowledge there is no ID card you can buy, I think there is one for younger people to prove they can buy age restricted products but it is not a proper ID.

I have this problem all the time, I don't drive and wont ever be able to (epilepsy) and don't have the spare cash to waste on a passport I can never use (two disabled children so travel is not an option).

user17829 · 21/05/2017 10:46

Isn't an electoral ID card free?

mychilddoesntlookdisabled · 21/05/2017 10:47

Northern Ireland already has this. You get a free electoral identity card if you don't have a driving licence or passport.

It doesn't cost anything - the clue is in the "free". I expect there will be something similar in the rest of the U.K.

Dawndonnaagain · 21/05/2017 10:47

I'm lucky enough to have a driving licence. I cannot afford a passport at the moment. There are a lot of people who will be affected by this. It's either a very ill thought out policy or a very carefully crafted one. Either way, that's worrying.

GaelicSiog · 21/05/2017 10:48

The thing is though, lots of countries already do this to prevent voting fraud. My cousin works as a polling clerk in the UK. Apparently they are warned at training that occasionally, people try to vote as themselves and then as someone else. It's relatively easy as long as you know their address because no one asks for ID.

PerkingFaintly · 21/05/2017 10:49

I'm disabled, no driving licence, no current passport and vote by post.

So how would that work?

RandomMess · 21/05/2017 10:49

DH has passed his test but doesn't drive, I have made update to a photo id driving license because not having photo id is a real pain, moving house was very interesting! Wouldn't accept his old passport...

PerkingFaintly · 21/05/2017 10:49

So this is ID cards by the back door again?

HamletsSister · 21/05/2017 10:50

FREE

It is FREE

And, even if it is not free, and YABU to get het up about stuff on Facebook which may not be true. Other sources needed first!

RubyGoat · 21/05/2017 10:51

Presumably if this happened, they would have to introduce a cheap / free ID card thing, that could be used by anyone. I hope so anyway... I don't understand why they're planning to do this (if they are) & don't think it's the worst thing they have planned either.

CommonSenseIsNotAllThatCommon · 21/05/2017 10:51

This has been an on going campaign.

Leanback · 21/05/2017 10:52

a free identity card hasn't been proposed though has it. I think we should all be a. It skeptical until it has. In some states in they do this and it did-proportionally affects POC and poor voters as they cannot afford ID.

Kerberos · 21/05/2017 10:52

Sounds like a sensible idea to me. Cut down on voter fraud. As long as it's free to access I can't get excited about it. There are worse things afoot than this.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 21/05/2017 10:52

I guess I'd go over to postal voting. I have no Id as passport is expired and I haven't got a driving licence as ineligible to vote as vision is failing.

Leanback · 21/05/2017 10:53

*in the us

Goldfishjane · 21/05/2017 10:53

if they're going to pull that they will have to ensure people get free ID cards.

I'm sure there's lots of people in this situation. I no longer drive and when the time comes to renew my passport, I won't because I don't need it. I can drive, so the photocard is useful to have but of course there must be loads of people who don't drive.....

Original poster
Fab39ish · 21/05/2017 10:54

It is bloody true. There was a link to a a newspaper story in the Guardian and the Independent. But I am rubbish at links.
But if they do issue a card than that is great.

OP posts:
Original poster
Fab39ish · 21/05/2017 10:56

Just because Northern Ireland issue free cards doesn't make the UK would.

OP posts:
Leanback · 21/05/2017 10:57

I Remember the pushback the last time a government tried to introduce stet mandated if cards as well

Leanback · 21/05/2017 10:58

*state

TheHodgeoftheHedge · 21/05/2017 10:58

I'm always shocked at how easy I think it would be to commit voter fraud in this country so I'd welcome any free electoral vote ID card. And hey, surely we've got another 4 years to argue about it as there's no way they could roll it out in time for June.

mychilddoesntlookdisabled · 21/05/2017 10:58

I am sure there will be a plan to do similar.

It will then become the fake ID of choice of the 17 year olds, but that's a different debate!

Original poster
Fab39ish · 21/05/2017 10:59

O and the last line in the Independent report is saying that the Government is not planning to issue ID cards.

OP posts: