The veterans minister has apologised to a former soldier who said he was unable to vote using his veteran card as photo identification.
Former army officer Adam Diver, from Fleetwood in Lancashire, said he was ‘gutted’ to have been turned away from the polling station.
Posting on X yesterday, he said: ‘I spent 27 years in the army and today I was going to vote in my local elections.
‘I was sadly turned away at the door as my veteran ID was not allowed as formal ID.’
Veterans minister Johnny Mercer, who is also a former soldier, told Mr Diver: ‘The legislation on acceptable forms of ID came out before the veterans ID cards started coming out in January this year.’
The minister said he would do all he could to change the legislation before the next election.
Voters were first required to show photo ID at the ballot box last May following the introduction of the Elections Act 2022.
For more on this, check out: ‘What is voter ID?’
