Powys County Council’s Leader and Deputy Leader have written to UK Government Ministers following reports that veterans were unable to vote in yesterday’s elections.

The UK Government introduced a requirement for voters to produce photo ID to be able to vote in non-devolved elections but it failed to add its Veterans ID Cards to the approved list of acceptable Voter ID.

Yesterday it was reported that veterans were unable to vote because of this failure. Now Deputy Council Leader Matthew Dorrance and Council Leader James Gibson-Watt have written to the Minister for Veterans Affairs and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities urging them to fix the problem.

Cllr Matthew Dorrance, the Council Cabinet Member for the Armed Forces Partnership and Armed Forces Champion said:

“The UK government failed veterans yesterday and they’ve failed to respect their service.

 

“They introduced the rules for Voter ID and the Veterans ID Card.  I can’t believe they failed to make sure our veterans, who have defended democracy at home and abroad, could take part in our elections with their Veterans ID cards yesterday.

 

“I’ve asked the UK government to fix this problem and ensure that the Veterans ID Card is added to the approved list of acceptable Voter ID without delay.”