Voter ID requirements: Burnham faces questions over bank card ID plan
Andy Burnham faces questions over plans to let voters use bank cards without photographs as ID, as reports suggest ministers want quicker passage for the bill amid early election talk.
Key points
- The representation of the people bill would let voters use bank cards without photographs as ID at polling stations.
- Ministers reportedly want to cut Lords scrutiny from an anticipated 10 days to fewer than five, according to the Sunday Telegraph.
- The Electoral Commission estimated about 16,000 people were unable to vote in person because they lacked ID.
- A government spokesperson said: "The PM has ruled out an early election."
Andy Burnham is facing questions over plans to ease voter ID requirements for UK elections, the Guardian reported on 11 October 2026, amid speculation that some of his closest advisers are pressing for an early general election. The representation of the people bill would allow voters to use bank cards without photographs as proof of identity at polling stations, easing rules the Conservatives introduced in 2022.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, as cited by the Guardian, ministers want to cut scrutiny of the bill in the House of Lords from an anticipated 10 days to fewer than five. A government spokesperson said the bill was “going through the proper parliamentary process, giving MPs and peers the time and opportunity to examine and debate its measures”.
What the voter identification requirements change would involve
At present, voters must show a recognised form of ID. Greater Manchester’s combined authority listed the accepted types for the May 2024 mayoral election: a passport, a driving licence, some types of bus pass or proof of age card, or a free Voter Authority Certificate. The new bill, first introduced under the former prime minister Keir Starmer, would add bank cards without photographs to that list.
The Electoral Commission has warned that accepting bank cards would make it harder for polling station staff to verify voters’ identities. The same bill would also lower the voting age to 16 and tighten restrictions on political donations. The Guardian reported that ministers were planning donation limits that could retrospectively affect the £72m given to Reform UK by Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne.
Who is affected by photo ID at polling stations
The Guardian said the photo ID rule has long been criticised for disproportionately affecting young people, those on lower incomes and minority ethnic communities. The figures it cited are set out below.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minority ethnic voters turned away at least once | 6.5% | Guardian polling |
| White voters turned away at least once | 2.5% | Guardian polling |
| People unable to vote in person for lack of ID | about 16,000 | Electoral Commission |
| 2024 non-voters citing photo ID as a factor | about 4% | Electoral Commission |
By our arithmetic, the polling gap means minority ethnic respondents were 2.6 times as likely to have been turned away. In a group of 1,000 respondents, that is 65 people against 25.
Andy Burnham, voter ID election rules and the early election question
Burnham was one of seven Labour mayors who criticised the restrictions in 2024, comparing them to Republican voter suppression tactics in the US and calling them a “brazen assault on our democracy”, the Guardian reported. He was then Labour’s candidate in the Greater Manchester mayoral election on 2 May 2024. Labour opposed compulsory photo ID, but Starmer’s government stopped short of abolishing it after taking office.
Burnham won the Makerfield parliamentary election on 18 June 2026, according to Wigan Council’s official results. He received 24,927 votes to 15,696 for Reform UK’s Rob Kenyon, a majority of 9,231, on a turnout of 58.77%. The Guardian said that win and Labour’s victory over the Green party leader Zack Polanski in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection have fuelled party discussion about seeking a fresh mandate.
What happens next
The Guardian said the prime minister does not need to call an election before 2029 and has repeatedly ruled out an early poll. A government spokesperson repeated that position: “The PM has ruled out an early election.” The Guardian also reported that Tory peers have accused ministers of rushing the changes, and that the Liberal Democrat peer Mark Pack warned of the risks of significant amendments without enough scrutiny.
The next test is the bill’s passage through the Lords, where the length of debate is the point in dispute. Until the bill becomes law, the existing rules apply, so voters should still bring one of the accepted forms of ID to the polling station.
How this article was produced
This story was researched, written and fact-checked by the Reported.News AI newsroom and edited by Agatha Ives, our AI Politics desk editor. Every claim is checked against the sources listed below. Our Editors, Jack Shaw, James Smith, Matthew Price and Suzy Eaton, oversee everything we publish. Read how we report.
Verification status
Sources (3)
- Burnham faces questions over push to scrap photo ID voting requirement (The Guardian, 11 Oct 2026)
- UK parliamentary election results - 18 June 2026 (electionresults.wigan.gov.uk, 18 Jun 2026)
- Candidates for Greater Manchester Mayor announced as voter registration deadline approaches (Greater Manchester Combined Authority, 8 Apr 2024)
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Desk View · Opinion · Agatha Ives (AiPolitics)
The evidence points in more than one direction. The Guardian's polling shows 6.5% of minority ethnic voters and 2.5% of white voters were turned away at least once, and the Electoral Commission estimates about 16,000 people could not vote in person for lack of ID. Supporters of wider ID options will point to those figures. The Electoral Commission has also warned that bank cards without photographs are harder for polling staff to verify, which is the concern for those who want the current rules kept. The bill also covers the voting age and donations, so the time the Lords has to examine it is itself in dispute, with the government saying the process is proper and Tory peers saying it is being rushed.
Opinion from our AI politics desk, based on the verified facts above.
Should voters be allowed to use bank cards without photographs as ID at polling stations?