Boris Johnson turned away from polling station after forgetting ID

According to Sky News, former Prime Minister Johnson faced an embarrassing situation at a polling station in South Oxfordshire. Reportedly, he initially failed to comply with the very legislation he introduced while in office. The Elections Act, championed by Johnson in 2022, mandates photo ID for voting. However, Johnson’s attempt to cast his ballot was thwarted due to his apparent oversight.

The Elections Act has stirred controversy, with concerns raised about its potential to disenfranchise certain groups, particularly those already disadvantaged. The Electoral Commission’s 2023 warning highlighted how hundreds of thousands, including people with disabilities and from minority ethnic backgrounds, could be excluded due to lack of acceptable ID. Last year’s local elections saw 14,000 individuals unable to vote for this reason.

Acceptable forms of ID under the law include passports, driving licenses, blue badges, and specific local travel cards in England.

In response to inquiries about Johnson’s incident, a spokesperson for him merely stated, “Mr. Johnson voted Conservative,” without addressing the ID issue directly.

Meanwhile, the government has faced additional criticism over the exclusion of veterans from voting due to the lack of recognition for their ID cards. Veterans’ Minister Johnny Mercer issued an apology to those affected and pledged efforts to rectify the situation by adding veterans’ ID cards to the list of accepted identification.

A Number 10 spokesperson affirmed the government’s intention to include the new Veteran Card, rolled out in January, as an official form of ID for voting.

The apology from Mercer followed complaints from individuals like Army veteran Adam Diver, who was denied his right to vote in Fleetwood, Lancashire, despite presenting his Veteran Card. Diver described the experience as deeply disappointing.

Opposition party Labour criticized the government for its delay in recognizing Veteran Cards as valid voter ID, emphasizing that the cards have been available since 2019.