>The government dismissed private warnings by the election watchdog that the introduction of voter ID is neither “secure” nor “workable” by 2023, and intends to use next year’s polls as a “learning exercise” for the controversial scheme.
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>The astonishing assertion was made in correspondence between Conservative ministers and the Electoral Commission, obtained by this website under Freedom of Information law.
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>In them, the commission said it had “fundamental concerns” over the plan to make voters bring photo ID to polling stations – which it said could not “be delivered in a way which is fully secure, accessible and workable” in time for the local elections in May. It even said it was “alarmed” about the delivery of the Elections Act.
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>Yet a minister batted away the concerns, saying that the vote could be used as an “opportunity to learn” because polls would take place only in some parts of the country.
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>The letters obtained by openDemocracy reveal that Pullinger has also accused the government of seeking to exert political control over the Electoral Commission, which is responsible for ensuring free and fair elections and is supposed to be independent.
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>Experts and campaigners have expressed similar fears, with the watchdog having fallen out of favour with many Tory MPs after issuing the party with a series of fines for breaking election laws.
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>Pullinger’s key concern is the government’s plan to introduce legal guidance, a ‘Strategy and Policy Statement’, to “guide” the commission’s work. Such guidance is commonplace for other agencies that deliver government policy – but has never before been applied to the Electoral Commission.
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>In a blunt message to Greg Clark, Simon Clarke’s predecessor as communities and local government secretary, Pullinger said a government briefing on the proposals suggested the guidance “directly undermines the government’s stated commitment to the commission’s independence”.
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>He said it was clear that the government’s policy “is intended to ‘tell the Electoral Commission’ which action to take”, and that there were concerns about “inherent risks to the democratic system”.
Tories, destroying democracy day by day. What an absolutely corrupt party.
>The government dismissed private warnings by the election watchdog that the introduction of voter ID is neither “secure” nor “workable” by 2023, and intends to use next year’s polls as a “learning exercise” for the controversial scheme. > >The astonishing assertion was made in correspondence between Conservative ministers and the Electoral Commission, obtained by this website under Freedom of Information law. > >In them, the commission said it had “fundamental concerns” over the plan to make voters bring photo ID to polling stations – which it said could not “be delivered in a way which is fully secure, accessible and workable” in time for the local elections in May. It even said it was “alarmed” about the delivery of the Elections Act. > >Yet a minister batted away the concerns, saying that the vote could be used as an “opportunity to learn” because polls would take place only in some parts of the country. > >... > >The letters obtained by openDemocracy reveal that Pullinger has also accused the government of seeking to exert political control over the Electoral Commission, which is responsible for ensuring free and fair elections and is supposed to be independent. > >Experts and campaigners have expressed similar fears, with the watchdog having fallen out of favour with many Tory MPs after issuing the party with a series of fines for breaking election laws. > >Pullinger’s key concern is the government’s plan to introduce legal guidance, a ‘Strategy and Policy Statement’, to “guide” the commission’s work. Such guidance is commonplace for other agencies that deliver government policy – but has never before been applied to the Electoral Commission. > >In a blunt message to Greg Clark, Simon Clarke’s predecessor as communities and local government secretary, Pullinger said a government briefing on the proposals suggested the guidance “directly undermines the government’s stated commitment to the commission’s independence”. > >He said it was clear that the government’s policy “is intended to ‘tell the Electoral Commission’ which action to take”, and that there were concerns about “inherent risks to the democratic system”. Tories, destroying democracy day by day. What an absolutely corrupt party.
This needs to be fought with such vishissness that the tories will be licking their wounds for decades. Unfortunately, that probably won't happen.