PLANS to require voters to present identification at polling stations have prompted concerns among two Gwent MPs.

The government is planning on piloting the idea in some areas of the UK next year in an effort to combat voter fraud. Currently voters are not required to present identification at polling stations in the UK.

But, speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, February 8, Blaenau Gwent MP Nick Smith said the idea was “a smokescreen for voter suppression.”

Addressing cabinet secretary Chris Skidmore, the Labour MP said: “They are putting obstacles between people and the polling booth instead of working to boost our democracy. If voter fraud is such a problem, will the minister tell the house how many voter fraud convictions there were last year?”

Mr Skidmore replied: “There were 481 cases of voter fraud reported to the Electoral Commission and 184 additional cases were reported to the police.

“Above all, this is about perception.

“The Electoral Commission reported last year that 30 per cent of the population believe that voter fraud is an issue in their local area and we are determined to tackle that perception.”

Torfaen’s Nick Thomas-Symonds also raised concerns over the plan, saying 3.5 million people eligible to vote in the UK do not have photo identification and called on the government to instead look at introducing a voluntary voter card.

Mr Skidmore replied: Rolling out the electoral ID card across the country would be tremendously expensive and we have no plans to do so.”