Frome and district Green Party has expressed its opposition to plans, outlined on Monday (May 10) in the Queen's Speech for an introduction of voter ID in order to vote.

It has been estimated that about 11 million people, a quarter of the electorate, have no photo-bearing driving licence or passport.

The local Green Party has asked voters to write to their local MP to express their opposition to the move and to make moves to use their vote via postal vote.

They wrote:

In spite of the fact that there has been negligible voter fraud in recent UK elections the Johnson government seems intent on following US Republican legislators in swing states, with sizeable black, Hispanic, or immigrant populations in enacting for voter photo ID laws. This is intended to disenfranchise marginalised groups unlikely to vote for the government.

In the UK around 75% of over 17 year olds hold a driving licence, which drops to 50% for black people and 60% for people of Asian descent. The last 2011 census show only 76% of UK residents hold a passport. A provisional driving licence costs £45, and a passport £75-85.

Cllr Shane Collins, East Mendip Green Party spokesperson said:

"Around 25% of the UK population do not hold a driving licence or passport, and there has been negligible voter impersonation fraud. The only conclusion is that our far right government wants to make it harder for people unlikely to vote Conservative in the upcoming elections such as Somerset Unitary elections in 2022/23.

"This is another undemocratic regressive policy which, along with the Police, Crime and Courts Bill, the proposed Planning laws, and scrapping Proportional Representation for Mayors, shows the UK is slipping into an authoritarian state.

Please join the Green Party in campaigning against these undemocratic changes, write to your MP, and apply to vote by post."