Carmichael concerns over photo ID

Isles MP Alistair Carmichael has voiced concerns over the quality of data used to support government plans to require photo ID for all voters in future elections.

The Liberal Democrat spokesman on political reform has demanded what assessment the Electoral Commission had made of the adequacy of data on electoral fraud used to support government proposals.

The commission collects and annually publishes data from all UK police forces on allegations of electoral fraud.

The UK is said to have low levels of proven fraud, with 34 cases of alleged personation in polling stations, across the UK in 2019.

That resulted in one conviction and one police caution, although the commission is said to have no reliable method to estimate how much electoral fraud goes unreported.

Mr Carmichael asked: “If the data show low levels [of alleged fraud], it is curious that the commission should have concluded that some measure of voter identification was necessary.”