You might be surprised to hear that, when out and about asking people about their voting intentions, it isn’t those saying that they will vote Conservative that really bother me, it’s those who say they aren’t going to vote at all.
My passionately held belief is that the right to vote is precious, something people died for and are still dying for in some parts of the world.
It is particularly important we value and defend this right at a time when the Government is actively seeking to suppress it.
There was just one conviction for ballot fraud at the last General Election when 32 million votes were cast.
Despite this, the Government has recently introduced the Elections Bill, which requires you to show photo ID before being allowed to cast your vote, at an estimated cost of between £120 million and £180 million to the taxpayer.
Acceptable ID is listed as: a passport, a driving licence, an older or disabled person’s bus pass, an Oyster 60+ card, a defence identity card or a PASS card. So very few options for young people and students (why is an over-60 travel pass acceptable but not a student one?) alongside evidence that the less well off, those living in rural areas, the disabled and those who have never voted before are most likely not to have the required ID.
Is it a coincidence that many among these groups are also the least likely to vote Conservative?
The Elections Bill also strips the election watchdog, the Electoral Commission, of its powers to challenge the Government on electoral process, giving ministers unprecedented control.
A former Electoral Commissioner branded the changes “a serious threat to the fairness of elections”, with Dr Jess Garland of the Electoral Reform Society stating that they put “millions at risk of being barred from the ballot box”.
The Tories are using cynical tactics to suppress opposition and are relying on the “I’m not going to vote” attitude, which worries me on the doorstep, to get their MPs back into power in constituencies across Cornwall, an area they continue to ignore, as demonstrated in the recent budget by the glaring absence of the support and investment that we desperately need.
If you don’t have the required ID, you can obtain a Voter Authority Certificate at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-to-vote or register for a postal vote now. Please spread the word to family and friends who may be affected. Your vote matters – use it and use it wisely.