Local elections: Masked councillor issues photo ID warning

Councillor Pat Karney shocks his colleagues by donning a "faceless" mask

A councillor produced a bizarre visual aid to highlight the new obligation for people to take approved photographic ID with them to their polling station.

As Manchester City Council's final meeting concluded before the local elections on 4 May, Pat Karney pulled out a faceless mask from a plastic bag.

The council leader sitting nearby put her hand to her face as he donned the mask before continuing to speak.

Voters will have to show identification such as a driving licence or passport.

The new rules apply to all council elections in England.

Alternatively, people can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate (VAC).

The Local Democracy Reporting Service writes that, according to Mr Karney, only 399 Mancunians had applied for one.

The total number of applications across England stood at 32,522 on 19 March.

The deadline to apply for a VAC is 25 April.

• Why do I need photo ID to vote?

• Is there an election in my area?

• A simple guide to elections

It is estimated that up to 3.5m voters across the UK do not currently have an acceptable form of ID.

Mr Karney has previously warned that police could be called to "flare ups" as people arriving at polling stations without ID are turned away.

He said: "If you come to the polling station and you haven't got facial recognition, if you don't bring your facial identity - and that's everybody in Manchester, every councillor here - if you turn up at the polling station and you haven't got a facial identity, you could be turned away and you won't be able to vote."

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