Voter Identification

Paul Bristow Excerpts
Tuesday 21st February 2023

(1 year, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Lee Rowley Portrait Lee Rowley
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One of our reasons for offering a free voter authority certificate, which 21,000 people have already taken up, is to address precisely that question.

Paul Bristow Portrait Paul Bristow (Peterborough) (Con)
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Picking up a parcel, borrowing a library book and voting in internal Labour party elections are all activities for which photo ID is required. Does the Minister agree that this battle, this argument, has already been won? Opposition Members would do better to ensure free and fair elections by encouraging photo ID sign-up in communities that do not have it.

Lee Rowley Portrait Lee Rowley
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right, and that is why we are focusing on making sure that people are aware of this change and vote in a way that reflects the change so that May is successful. There is a huge amount of work to do to secure the integrity of the ballot box for the long term.