The National Union of Students has called the discovery “proof” that the Government is actively trying to suppress young people’s votes.
The Times has found that Rishi Sunak blocked veterans using their IDs at polling stations over fears it could “open the floodgates” to more students voting, despite campaigning from within his own party.
This follows comments made by Jacob Rees-Mogg last year when he admitted that the Conservative party’s voter ID law was gerrymandering – an attempt to make it harder for young people to vote.
The Government introduced legislation that requires every voter to have valid photo ID in order to vote. However, despite including many forms of pensioners identification, student IDs and veterans IDs were excluded.
Rishi Sunak has previously been accused of destructively underfunding universities after he said that said that students “don’t vote for [the Conservative Party] anyway” when he was running for Tory leader.
Commenting, NUS Vice President Higher Education, Chloe Field, said:
“It was clear from the beginning that the new voter ID laws were an attempt at voter suppression, but now the government have admitted it.
“It has become clear to students that the current government holds the destructive intention to weaken the Higher Education system and to lessen young people’s ability to exercise their democratic rights.
“They do not want young people voting because they do not think we will vote for them, and why would we when they have given us nothing to vote for?
“Instead of illegally gerrymandering, I advise Sunak to build a manifesto that actually benefits students and young people. To start with, he should increase student financial support in universities and college, raise the apprentice minimum wage to the Real Living Wage, and make students eligible for Universal Credit. For any further ideas, he should consult NUS UK’s Manifesto for our Future or reach out to us directly.
“To all students and young people; the Government is scared of us because we have the power to change the outcome of this election. Students alone make up 10% of the voting population. Get yourself free voter ID and then get out there and vote. Together, we can make a real difference in this election.”
