MSPS are to examine an appeal by Deputy First Minister John Swinney not to agree to the UK Government’s Elections Bill, which includes controversial proposals requiring people to bring ID documents to polling stations before they can vote in Westminster elections in Scotland.
Members of Holyrood’s Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee have been given the challenge of whether to back Swinney’s motion to refuse consent to the bill.
The Scottish Government is opposed to voter ID and has said it will not introduce it as a requirement for Scottish Parliament or council elections.
Ministers in Edinburgh fear it will cause confusion among those intending to vote as well as unnecessary extra work and expense for electoral administrators who will have to check the validity of the ID documents at polling stations.
No date has yet been set for Holyrood to vote on a consent motion. However, SNP, Green, Labour and LibDem MSPs are likely to refuse consent – as the parties are opposed to the policy – with only Tory MSPs agreeing to it.
If, as expected, Holyrood refuses consent, the UK Government could decide not to introduce voter ID in Scotland for general elections.
However, if they decide to push ahead despite Holyrood’s refusal, a new constitutional clash between London and Edinburgh is likely to erupt, with the former seen to be imposing its will on Scots against their parliament’s wishes.
Critics have condemned the voting rule reforms, unveiled by the Prime Minister in the Queen’s Speech in May, arguing they will deter marginalised communities from going to the polls and that its official rationale – to deter voter fraud – is extremely rare.
They believe rather than bringing in new rules which risk reducing voter turn out – which was 67% at the last General Election in 2019 – moves to modernise voting, such as electronic voting, should be introduced to increase turnout.
The UK Government has recently sought the consent of Holyrood for the voting reforms to be introduced in Westminster elections in Scotland.
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