A WESTMINSTER committee with a Tory majority has called on the government to scrap plans to implement voter ID laws through the Election Bill.
A new report from Westminster's Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) calls on the Tory government to ditch the bill that would make it more difficult for people to vote.
PACAC also says that the bill would remove the element of trust from the electoral system and give Downing Street more powers over the election watchdog.
The 11-member committee is largely made up of Conservative MPs with three from Labour and one SNP member.
The SNP has previously said that the bill would be an attack on democracy by disenfranchising millions across the UK of their ability to take part in the democratic process.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson urged to scrap Tory ‘Trumpian’ voting ID card bill
The report states that the "voter ID requirement will remove an element of the trust inherent in the current system between state and individual".
It goes on to say that the evidence supporting the voter ID requirement "simply is not good enough".
At the last General Election in 2019, 595 cases of alleged electoral fraud were investigated by police, according to the Electoral Commission.
Four led to a conviction and two people were given a police caution, and the commission said: “The UK has low levels of proven electoral fraud.”
The report also notes that the bill would require the Electoral Commission which oversees election activity, to follow a Strategy and Policy Statement, written up by the Government.
Ronnie Cowan (below), the SNP MP for Inverclyde and a member of PACAC, said that the bill is an attempt by the Tory government to create a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
He said: “It’s unusual for a select committee with a Tory Chair and a Tory majority to be so critical of a Tory government bill - but the Elections Bill is a full-frontal assault on democracy and should rightly be condemned by all parties.
“Age UK has said that 500,000 older citizens would not vote if the scheme was introduced and similar fears of disenfranchisement have been expressed by BAME and disabled groups.
“The UK Government has said bringing in voter ID will combat personation – but the figures show this isn’t an issue. Over 58 million people voted in the 2019 General Election and there were only 34 allegations of personation. The Tory government is seeking a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist as a smokescreen for yet more corruption, sleaze and power-grabbing.
READ MORE: Prospective clash over controversial voter ID rules moves one step closer
“It is also extremely concerning that the Tory government is trying to politicise the independent Electoral Commission. These are worryingly similar to actions carried out in undemocratic, dictatorial regimes.
“The reality is, the Elections Bill is a transparent plot to rig the political process and enable the Tories at Westminster to continue with their endemic sleaze and corruption with impunity.
"Scotland can do better than this.”
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