David Lammy: Tories 'seeking to suppress the vote' with ID proposals

15 May 2021, 17:51

David Lammy's powerful condemnation of voter ID proposals

By Seán Hickey

Government proposals to enforce voter ID at polling stations is 'straight out of the Donald Trump playbook' according to David Lammy.

"In 2018 there was no evidence of large scale electoral fraud" David Lammy argued, insisting that claims of endemic voter fraud are false.

The suggestion of implementing voter ID for future elections came in this week's Queen's Speech, where a number of new proposals were made.

Read More: Voter ID plans are 'damaging for all of us who believe in democracy,' says election lawyer

"Right across the country we have no problem of electoral fraud" David insisted, wondering why the Government is trying to "implement a system that would [impose on] people a barrier to exercise their democratic right to vote."

He claimed that the proposal would impact well over "11 million people."

Read More: 'The highly wrong voter ID law is a load of nonsense'

Voter turnout will be seriously impacted by voter ID regulations

Read More: Mandatory voter photo ID branded 'backwards step borrowed from US' by Sadiq Khan

"Why would you deny low income people, marginalised people, ethnic minorities the vote if you weren't stealing from the Donald Trump playbook and seeking to suppress the vote."

David insisted that the Conservatives are bringing voter suppression to the UK and have been inspired by the suppression seen in the USA.

Read More: PM urged to rethink voter ID policy: ‘A sledgehammer to political engagement’