Labour has other priorities for now, but once in power it should focus on undoing the damage of these constitutional assaults
After the misrule of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, and their cronies cashing in on Covid, only 6% of people now say they have full trust in our political system, which is alarming. Given the widespread cynicism about Westminster, it’s unsurprising that people may be barely shocked when those in power start dismantling democracy. But serial constitutional assaults by the current regime are growing more visible and egregious. Today, electoral administrators warn that the voting system may collapse under Tory changes.
The Electoral Commission has reported that the government’s introduction of voter ID resulted in 14,000 people being turned away from polling stations at the local elections. It found it likely that people with disabilities and people who were unemployed or from ethnic minorities were more likely to be refused a vote for lack of a driving licence, passport or official ID from their local council. The true number of those not voting due to ID requirements could have been at least 400,000, suggested the commission, with 4% of non-voters saying the new rules had put them off. The near-40% of polling stations with “greeters”, who told voters they needed ID, did not record how many voters they deterred.
Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist
