Labour accused of plot to ‘rig’ subsequent election by axing voter ID scheme and permitting hundreds of thousands of overseas nationals to vote

Labour was last night accused of plotting a shameless bid to ‘rig’ the next election by sweeping away laws to prevent voter fraud and allowing millions of foreign nationals to vote.

Speculation is mounting in Westminster that ministers are drawing up radical reforms that will dramatically overhaul the way elections are held – and potentially ‘lock in’ a Labour Party majority.

The Government is already planning to extend the right to vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, with legislation expected later this year.

Now the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), a Left-wing think-tank closely aligned with Labour, has called for the ‘removal or relaxation’ of rules that force people to show photographic identification before voting.

Introduced in 2022, the rules were designed to protect postal and proxy voting from fraud and crack down on vote intimidation.

The IPPR, however, warns turn-out is falling among non-graduates and renters and says lessening the photo ID requirements, or axing them, would ‘reduce inequality at UK general elections’.

Its report adds: ‘Letting current trends in political inequality play out would be an obvious act of self-harm for this Government.’ 

The IPPR also suggests that 5 million foreign nationals be allowed to vote – a massive extension of the franchise likely to overwhelmingly benefit Labour.

Labour was last night accused of plotting a shameless bid to ‘rig’ the next election by sweeping away laws to prevent voter fraud and allowing millions of foreign nationals to vote

Commons Leader Lucy Powell (pictured) has already made clear the Government is looking at introducing reforms beyond just lowering the voting age

The report says: ‘Around five million permanent taxpaying residents of the UK do not have the right to vote in its elections. 

‘This is because citizens of countries other than the UK, Ireland and Commonwealth nations cannot register to vote, regardless of how long they have been resident in the UK. 

‘There is clear need for a wider political conversation about the notion of citizenship and voting rights in the UK.’ 

The IPPR also says the Government could explore automatically registering voters ‘shortly before their 16th birthdays’ – a move that would add 700,000 young people to the electoral register each year.

The report last night sparked outrage from Tory MPs, who believe Labour is cynically preparing to ‘gerrymander’ elections.

Nigel Huddleston, co-chairman of the Conservative Party, said: ‘This is nothing more than a shameless attempt by Labour to rig elections in its favour and turn a blind eye to electoral fraud.

‘It is no surprise that Labour has resorted to dirty tricks to improve its chances of electoral success and try to distract people away from its failures. 

‘In six short months in power it has trashed the economy, whacked up taxes and cut the winter fuel payment for 10 million vulnerable pensioners.’

Nigel Huddleston, co-chairman of the Conservative Party (pictured) accused Labour of ‘a shameless attempt…to rig elections in its favour’ 

Former defence minister Sir Alec Shelbrooke added: ‘It’s patently clear that Labour is gearing up to roll back sensible ID voting reforms introduced by the Conservatives and introduce other changes to gerrymander the result of future elections in its favour.

‘As Labour and Sir Keir Starmer’s poll ratings collapse, this Government will get even keener on trying to rig election rules.

‘But any changes won’t be about fairness – they’ll be about ministers trying to save their own skins.’

Commons Leader Lucy Powell has already made clear the Government is looking at introducing reforms beyond just lowering the voting age. Labour was approached for comment.