Burnham is rushing to let voters use bank cards as ID at polling stations amid early election speculation

From the Newshound archive · first published 12 October 2026.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is fast-tracking a bill to remove the photo ID requirement at polling stations, which would let voters prove their identity with a bank card that carries no photograph. The Representation of the People Bill is expected to advance to its Lords committee stage within weeks and would also lower the voting age to 16 and tighten the rules governing political donations. The pace of the push is fuelling speculation that Burnham intends to call a snap general election well ahead of the August 2029 deadline.

Mandatory photo ID at polling stations was introduced by the Conservatives in 2023, and the bill would do away with that requirement altogether.

Reform UK is also in the bill's sights, with clauses that could block two cryptocurrency billionaire donations the party has received.

Both the Electoral Commission and the Association of Electoral Administrators support the bill but have raised concerns specifically about allowing photo-free bank cards as valid voter ID.