UK government launches consultation on greater data sharing across public sector – OUT-LAW.com

‘The UK Cabinet Office has opened a consultation on proposals for new legislation to enable and create a centralised digital ID gateway to online public services.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th January 2023

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Child asylum seekers detained as adults after UK Home Office ‘alters birth dates’ – The Guardian

‘The Home Office is routinely changing the dates of birth of unaccompanied child asylum seekers to classify them as adults, according to experts who say the practice is now happening on a “horrifying scale”.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Research Briefing: Voter ID – House of Commons Library

Posted November 17th, 2022 in elections, fraud, identification, identity cards, news, parliament by tracey

‘The Elections Act 2022 will introduce the requirement to show photo ID at UK Parliamentary elections, police and crime commissioner elections and at local elections in England. This briefing looks at the background to voter ID in the UK.’

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House of Commons Library , 14th November 2022

Source: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Suella Braverman to consider giving anonymity to suspected criminals – The Guardian

‘The home secretary will examine the possibility of giving anonymity to suspected criminals after concern over the identification and treatment of high-profile people wrongly accused of sexual abuse.’

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Modernising lasting powers of attorney: change is coming – Legal Futures

‘In 2007, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 introduced Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) which for the first time allowed a donor to appoint an attorney to make decisions both about their property and financial affairs, but also about their health and welfare.’

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Legal Futures, 17th August 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New Judgment: R (on the application of Coughlan) v Minister for the Cabinet Office [2022] UKSC 11 – UKSC Blog

Posted April 28th, 2022 in elections, identification, local government, news, pilot schemes, ultra vires by sally

‘This appeal concerns a challenge brought by the Appellant to orders made by the Respondent in respect of Braintree District Council and nine other local authorities (“the Pilot Orders”). These Pilot Orders authorised schemes to temporarily change the rules set out in secondary legislation governing local elections. These schemes, which were implemented in ten local authority areas in respect of the local government elections in May 2019, each introduced a new requirement for some form of voter identification for those local elections.’

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UKSC Blog, 27th April 2022

Source: ukscblog.com

Supreme Court to issue ruling next week on lawfulness of voter ID pilot schemes – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Supreme Court will next week (27 April) issue its ruling on whether the voter identification (“ID”) pilot schemes that were implemented in the May 2019 local government elections were lawful.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 21st April 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government defeated over voter ID plans in House of Lords – BBC News

‘The government has been defeated in the House of Lords over its plans to introduce photo ID for voters in elections.’

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BBC News, 7th April 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police guidance on facial recognition technology ‘a hammer blow to privacy’ – The Independent

Posted March 22nd, 2022 in facial mapping, identification, news, police, privacy, victims, witnesses by tracey

‘Innocent people like victims and potential witnesses could be placed on police watchlists under guidance on the use of facial recognition systems, civil liberties groups have warned.’

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The Independent, 22nd March 2022

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Elections Bill: MPs approve plans for voter ID checks – BBC News

Posted January 19th, 2022 in bills, elections, fraud, government departments, identification, news by michael

‘MPs have backed proposals to introduce mandatory voter ID for elections, a major change to the electoral process in the UK.’

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BBC News, 18th January 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Voter ID: MPs urge government to rethink plans for election checks – BBC News

Posted December 13th, 2021 in bills, elections, government departments, identification, identity fraud, news by tracey

‘The UK government should rethink its plans to require voters to show photo ID at polling stations, MPs say.’

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BBC News, 13th December 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Universal credit claimants were sent unlawful demands to repay, says charity – The Guardian

Posted November 15th, 2021 in benefits, charities, coronavirus, government departments, identification, news by tracey

‘The Department for Work and Pensions has unlawfully told “significant” numbers of people who legitimately claimed universal credit at the start of the pandemic to repay money often totalling thousands of pounds, a charity has claimed.’

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The Guardian, 13th November 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Home Office must rethink ‘regressive’ plans to use X-ray asylum seekers for age assessments, say charities – The Independent

‘The Home Office must rethink its “regressive and unethical” plans to use scientific methods such X-rays to age assess asylum seekers, a coalition of children’s charities has warned.’

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The Independent, 1st November 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Proposed Voter ID reforms in the UK: The dangers of ‘fraud’ based regulation – Oxford Human Rights Hub

Posted October 22nd, 2021 in bills, elections, equality, fraud, human rights, identification, identity fraud, news by sally

‘The UK government’s Election Bill containing controversial Voter ID provisions is progressing with haste through parliament this month, despite significant alarm over its potential impact. Whilst the government claims the bill will increase ballot security, all evidence points to these proposals being harmful to voter access and electoral integrity as the US experience demonstrates.’

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Oxford Human Rights Hub, 18th October 2021

Source: ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk

Jacob Eisler: Voter ID and the Elections Bill 2021: Legislative Manipulation of Democratic Procedure and the Limits of Judicial Review – UK Constitutional Law Association

Posted September 29th, 2021 in bills, constitutional law, elections, fraud, identification, judicial review, news by sally

‘The Elections Bill 2021, as of the date of publication for the House of Commons Committee stage, advances a variety of changes to the regulation of elections and the practice of voting in the UK. Of the reforms, one controversially reshapes the practical experience of voting for most citizens. A new voter ID requirement will amend the Representation of the People Act 1983 to require proof of identity, in the form of a photographic ID such as a passport, drivers’ license, or dedicated voter identity document, for in-person voting. While this may seem like a light burden, both the broader impact of such a requirement on voting and the underlying anti-fraud rationale have raised significant concerns.’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 29th September 2021

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

How Will Voter ID Impact Human Rights? – Each Other

Posted September 22nd, 2021 in bills, elections, fraud, human rights, identification, news, statistics by sally

‘A new bill could prevent millions of people from being able to vote, according to a report published by the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR).’

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Each Other, 21st September 2021

Source: eachother.org.uk

What does the UK elections bill set out? – The Guardian

Posted September 8th, 2021 in bills, elections, government departments, identification, identity fraud, news by sally

‘The elections bill, which will be debated in the Commons for the first time on Tuesday, is, according to the government, an ambitious and timely set of plans to ensure elections remain fair and secure. To critics, it is undemocratic and intended to rig elections in favour of the Conservatives. So what does the bill set out?’

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The Guardian, 7th September 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

How undocumented migrants are blocked from booking Covid vaccinations – The Independent

Posted July 16th, 2021 in coronavirus, doctors, identification, immigration, news, vaccination by tracey

‘Hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants face being blocked from booking Covid vaccinations, it can be revealed, because GP surgeries are refusing to register them – in breach of official guidance.’

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The Independent, 16th July 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

New Elections Bill to ‘protect democracy,’ says government – BBC News

Posted July 6th, 2021 in bills, elections, government departments, identification, news by sally

‘Controversial plans to require voters to show photo ID at polling stations have been introduced in Parliament.’

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BBC News, 5th July 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Millions in UK face disenfranchisement under voter ID plans – The Guardian

Posted July 5th, 2021 in bills, elections, identification, news by tracey

‘Millions of voters could be disenfranchised under “discriminatory” plans due to be unveiled on Monday that will force people to carry identification to cast a ballot, Labour has warned.’

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The Guardian, 4th July 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com