According to reports, the government is seeking to reduce the time available for peers to scrutinise the representation of the people bill in the House of Lords from an anticipated 10 days to fewer than five, despite plans for further substantial amendments.
The legislation, first introduced under former prime minister Keir Starmer, would allow voters to use bank cards without photographs as proof of identity at polling stations, easing restrictions introduced by the Conservatives in 2022. The proposals follow longstanding concerns that the photo ID requirement disproportionately affects young people, those on lower incomes and minority ethnic communities.
Polling published by the Guardian after the last general election suggested 6.5% of minority ethnic voters surveyed had been turned away from a polling station at least once, compared with 2.5% of white voters. The Electoral Commission separately estimated that about 16,000 people who attempted to vote in person were unable to do so because they lacked the required ID, and did not return.
Burnham, who was among seven Labour mayors that criticised the restrictions in 2024 and described them as a "brazen assault on our democracy", has now found himself at the centre of debate over the speed of reform. Although Labour opposed the introduction of compulsory photo ID, Starmer's government stopped short of abolishing the requirement after taking office, instead proposing to widen the forms of ID accepted. However, the Electoral Commission has warned that accepting bank cards would make it harder for polling station staff to verify voters' identities.
The bill also forms part of the government's efforts to tighten political funding rules amid growing concerns about foreign interference in British elections. The reports come days after Labour's victory in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection and Burnham's own recent win in Makerfield, which have fuelled discussion about whether he should call a general election in pursuit of a fresh mandate. The prime minister does not need to call an election before 2029 and has repeatedly ruled out an early poll.