The government’s claim that “everyone eligible to vote will be able to do so” (Millions in UK face disenfranchisement under voter ID plans, 4 July) is highly misleading. Its own figures show that millions of people may lack the necessary photo ID to be able to vote. It is an unnecessary waste of perhaps £20m to create a barrier to voting supposedly to tackle a virtually nonexistent problem.
The government places unnecessary barriers to inclusion on the electoral register. Even if this process is not done automatically, as it should be, young people should be provided with online registration details when they get their national insurance numbers. Its failure to do this speaks volumes about its aim of voter suppression.
Chris Rennard
Liberal Democrat, House of Lords
• I’m surprised that no one has proposed a simpler solution to the voter ID issue. All eligible voters are already sent a polling card. There are a trivial number of “personations” in elections, and requiring production of the polling card would trap – or thwart – most of those.
Tom Beaton
Isleworth, London
• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication.
