Local election voter ID check - as it happened: People denied right to vote in UK for first time ever due to lack of identification

Trial scheme prompts concerns measures will disproportionately affect black and ethnic minority people, the elderly and migrants

May Bulman
Thursday 03 May 2018 22:12 BST
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‘It’s shocking’: People denied vote in the UK for first time ever over lack of ID

People have been denied the right to vote in local council elections in a controversial pilot of ID checks that force voters to prove their identities before casting their ballot.

The trial scheme has prompted concerns the measures will disproportionately affect black and ethnic minority people, the elderly and migrants.

A 76-year-old man who has lived in Bromley for 40 years told The Independent he was "shocked" to be turned away because he did not have a bank card or passport.

"This is a nonsense scheme," Peter White added. Gosport, Swindon, Watford and Woking are also running the pilot schemes.

There will be 156 elections in total taking place across the country: all 32 London boroughs, 34 metropolitan boroughs, 68 district and borough councils, 17 unitary authorities and five mayoral elections in Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Watford.

Read below for the day's events, as they happened.

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