Voters head to the polls on 2 May for a crucial set of local elections. Never has there been so much anger about what the Conservatives have done to our communities. Whether on housing, the environment, the state of our local high streets, or the ongoing cost of living crisis, their record is one of abject failure. It’s why these elections matter so much.
What the Conservatives won’t tell you is that they’ve changed the rules of the game to make it easier for them to win. For the first time, voters in mayoral elections must show valid photo ID at polling stations to be allowed to cast their ballots. Jacob Rees-Mogg even admitted publicly that it’s a deliberate scheme by the Tory government to rig the vote in their favour.
What makes the move even more cynical is that only certain types of photo ID comply with the rules. While older people’s travelcards are eligible to use, many forms of identification used by young people, such as a young person’s railcard, are not allowed.
A report from the Electoral Commission last year revealed worrying findings. When the rules first came into force it was young people, minorities and those from more deprived communities who were more likely to be turned away at polling stations for not having the right ID.
It is vital that these changes – inspired by the voter suppression tactics of the US Republican party – don’t lock thousands more people out of our democracy on 2 May. We can’t let the Tories succeed in disenfranchising people, regardless of their age, ethnicity or the part of the country they live in.
Most photo ID is valid, whether a driving licence or passport, as long as you bring it with you when you vote. And for those currently without valid ID you can go online and get new ID for free. The deadline for applying for this free ID – a voter authority certificate – is this Wednesday, 24 April. Ministers have remained shamefully quiet about these voter authority certificates, but they should mean in theory that no one misses out.
Our message to every voter across the country today is clear – make sure you have the required valid ID. We must stop this brazen assault on our democracy.
The elections on 2 May present a clear choice for voters. Not only is it between those who want to undermine democratic rights and those who want to protect them, but it’s between the Tories, who have run our economy and public services into the ground, or Labour, which is standing up for our communities during this cost of living crisis and offering a positive vision for a fairer, greener, brighter future.
At a moment when the welfare and wellbeing of our communities and country is at stake, don’t lose your voice on 2 May – don’t let the Conservatives succeed in this attack on our democracy.
Sadiq Khan Mayor of London
Andy Burnham Mayor of Greater Manchester
Steve Rotheram Mayor of the Liverpool City region
Tracy Brabin Mayor of West Yorkshire
Nik Johnson Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Dan Norris Mayor of the West of England
Oliver Coppard Mayor of South Yorkshire
Claire Ward Labour’s mayoral candidate for the East Midlands
