Minister ‘sorry’ as veterans find ID cards not valid for English elections
www.theguardian.com
Johnny Mercer says he will ‘do all I can’ to change rules after veteran turned away from polling station
  • breadsmasher@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    6 months ago

    The purpose of a Veteran ID, from gov.uk

    An HM Armed Forces Veteran Card is a way to prove that you served in the UK armed forces. The card can make it quicker and easier to apply for support as a veteran.

    Its valid ID to prove you served in the military. Whoever said anything about it being a general ID? Do supermarkets accept them as valid for proof of age when buying alcohol? Does it count as valid when applying for a mortgage at a bank?

    When you click “What can I use it for” at no point does it say you can use it vote or as a general valid from of ID

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-a-veteran-card-as-a-service-leaver#ways-to-use-a-veteran-card

    
 Ways to use a Veteran Card

There are many services available to ex-members of the armed forces.

To access these services some organisations, including charities, may need to verify that you are a veteran. This is to ensure that only those who are eligible access services specifically for veterans and their families.

As a veteran you can prove your status in many ways, and an HM Armed Forces Veteran Card is a simple way to do this.

For example, you need to verify your veteran status when you:

* [get a Veterans’ Railcard](https://www.veterans-railcard.co.uk/), entitling you to up to a third off most rail travel in England, Scotland and Wales
* [get a Defence Discount Service Card](https://www.defencediscountservice.co.uk/), to claim discounts in over 12,000 restaurants and shops, on the high street and online
* access specific offers during special events, such as free travel on public transport to and from remembrance events on the weekend of Remembrance Sunday

There are other services and government initiatives available to veterans where your Veteran Card may be useful.

    This reeks of “I need to show strangers im a veteran whenever possible”.

    • hasnt_seen_goonies@lemmy.world
      0·
      6 months ago

      I’m sure the mechanism for verifying identity is more complex than it appears from the outside, but it does seem very ridiculous to have a card that can answer “did this person work in the military?” And not “who is this person?” The second question seems to be a subset of the first question.

      • breadsmasher@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        6 months ago

        Totally agree. But the reaction to this makes it seem like veterans were being targeted and excluded. But at no point was anyone told that specific form of ID would allow you to vote.

    • SouthEndSunset@lemm.ee
      0·
      6 months ago

      Apparently it is recognised as a form of voter ID though. No surprises Mercer is acting as forces hero, though.

  • Jackthelad@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    6 months ago

    The moral of the story: check the government website to see if your ID is accepted. These weren’t accepted last year, so why would they be accepted this year?

    I don’t agree with the photo ID policy, but it’s really not that difficult to do a basic Google search to find if you have what you need.

    • HumanPenguin@feddit.ukEnglish
      0·
      6 months ago

      Agree. In principal.

      But wonder if not accepted last year if a valid point.

      Most folks do not have election every year. It is much more likely thos os the first time these folks have tried to vote.

      But yeah. Voter ID is just a failed way to fix a problem that never existed. By reducing the ability for certain membews of the population to express a vote.