Boris Johnson was turned away from his local polling station when trying to vote in local elections after forgetting to bring acceptable photo ID.
Sky News understands that polling station staff were forced to fire the former prime minister after he initially failed to comply with legislation he introduced while at Downing Street.
Johnson, who introduced the Electoral Act requiring photo ID in 2022, was trying to vote in South Oxfordshire, where a Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley was being selected.
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He posted on X on Thursday morning: “The polls are now open. Vote Conservative today!”
The Electoral Law proved controversial, with fears that it could constitute an impediment to voting, especially among disadvantaged groups.
In 2023, the Electoral Commission warned that the new law, which requires people to present acceptable forms of photo identification when voting in person, could exclude hundreds of thousands of people, including people with disabilities and those from ethnic minorities.
The commission concluded that in last May’s local elections, 14,000 people were unable to vote because they did not have Acceptable ID.
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In England, passports, driving licenses, blue badges and some local travel cards are accepted as forms of voter identification.
A spokesperson for Johnson did not deny that he did not bring ID, saying only: “Mr Johnson voted Conservative.”
Meanwhile, the government also said it plans to make veterans’ ID cards a valid form of voter identification after former officials were removed from polling stations.
Vote counting begins in local elections
Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer has apologized to those who were unable to use their veteran ID card to vote in local elections, promising to “do everything I can” to add it to the valid ID list.
A Number 10 spokeswoman said: “It is our intention that the new Veterans Card, launched in January, will be added to the official list.”
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Mr Mercer’s apology came after Army veteran Adam Diver complained that he had been turned away at his local polling station after presenting his veteran card.
Diver, 48, intended to vote in Fleetwood, Lancashire, but was turned away after presenting his card and described the experience as leaving him feeling “destroyed”.
Labor said the government had years to ensure the Veteran’s Card was included on the list of valid voter registration cards, having started distributing the cards in 2019.
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