"ID Required" Former UK Prime Minister Johnson Denied at Polling Station

Election Law Amendment During Former Prime Minister Johnson's Tenure
Voters Must Bring Photo-Attached 'Valid ID' to Vote

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson almost failed to vote because he did not carry an ID with a photo attached, BBC reported on the 3rd (local time).

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the report, Johnson visited the polling station to participate in the vote for the South Oxfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner (FCC) election the day before, but he was not given a ballot paper due to not carrying the designated ID as per the regulations.

Earlier, the UK government introduced a new rule requiring voters to carry photo ID when voting through an amendment to the election law during Johnson's tenure in 2022. This amendment has been in effect since last year, and BBC added that about 14,000 people were unable to vote in last year's UK local elections due to this rule.

After being refused a ballot paper, Johnson returned to the polling station with his ID and completed his vote. Chris Heaton-Harris, the Minister for Northern Ireland, said in an interview with BBC Radio, "As someone who knows Boris Johnson well, this is not very surprising," adding, "He went home, got his ID, came back, and cast a vote for the Conservative Party."