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Urgent Question on voter ID pilots: 23 April 2018

23 April 2018 (updated on 23 April 2018)

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Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Cat Smith asked an Urgent Question on voter ID pilots at the local government elections, in the House of Commons on 23 April 2018.

Smith told the House, "We cannot allow this Government to pilot discriminatory measures that could disenfranchise legitimate voters who already face a multitude of barriers to democratic engagement".

Responding on behalf of the Government, Cabinet Office Minister Chloe Smith said that, "The aim of the pilots is to protect voting rights, and it comes in the context of protecting and improving our democracy".

Voters in five local authorities - Woking, Gosport, Bromley, Watford and Swindon, will be required to show ID before they can vote in the local government elections in May 2018.

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