Tory Voter ID checks will make it harder for Black and minority ethnic people to vote, a senior MP has said.
Labour’s Clive Lewis, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group on race, said Voter ID “undermines the very cornerstone of our democracy” as he expressed “concern” about the underrepresentation of minority ethnic groups in elections worsening.
He said: “The problem has been known for decades and yet little progress has been achieved. Reforms in the Elections Act 2022 are among the most significant changes to the electoral system of the past century.
“By risking voter disenfranchisement and subverting security scrutiny procedures they undermine the very cornerstone of our democracy.”
Mr Lewis urged the Government “to address the issue of political exclusion and discuss how we dismantle barriers to political participation”.
“For decades black and ethnic minority voting patterns have not been a high priority for political parties and the wider public,” he said.
“If a group does not engage in an election, political parties will be even less incentivised to represent or support their interests.”
Applications to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate closed at 5pm today, leaving voters without photo ID at risk of being excluded from May's local elections.
The Tories have been accused by Labour of being "recklessly slow" in making the public aware of the controversial policy forcing voters to show ID for the first time in England next month.
The Government launched the free certificates for those lacking the correct ID - but last week the pollsters Ipsos highlighted confusion over the new policy.
A survey found that just over one in ten (12%) of voters are 'most likely' to bring some form of ID that would not be allowed, including a student card or a council tax bill.
To help ensure everyone’s voice is heard, the Daily Mirror launched our Get ID, Get a Vote campaign to raise awareness and encourage more people to register to vote.
Alongside a Voter Authority Certificate, those wanting to vote at the local elections on May 4 can take photo ID documents, including a passport or driving licence.
Dr Jess Garland, from the Electoral Reform Society, said: “There's absolutely no doubt that low income groups are going to be massively affected by this.
“It's very clear in the research that the types of ID being asked for - passports, driving licences - cost money to get and if you don’t have those, you also have the cost and time of getting an alternative and so there is no way of getting around that this does have a cost approach to it… which is unjustifiable.”
Follow Mirror Politics on Snapchat, Tiktok, Twitter and Facebook.
