oris Johnson faced rejection at a UK polling station during local elections due to a forgotten photo ID, a requirement he implemented while in office. Staff at the South Oxfordshire polling station turned away the former PM on Thursday, but he returned later with the necessary ID and successfully casted his vote. The photo ID mandate was instituted by Johnson’s Conservative government through the Elections Act 2022, drawing widespread criticism upon its introduction.
Critics, including the Electoral Commission, warned that the law could disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters, particularly affecting the unemployed and ethnic minorities.
A cross-party parliamentary report in March echoed these concerns, highlighting issues with the electoral registration system and the limited forms of accepted ID.
Among those denied voting rights was army veteran Adam Diver, whose veterans’ ID card was not recognized, leaving him “gutted.”
Thursday saw local elections across the UK, with over 100 councils and several mayoral positions up for grabs.
Preliminary results indicate significant losses for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s party, aligning with national polls where the opposition Labour Party leads.
These results suggest that if a general election were imminent, Labour would likely assume power.
