Theresa May braces for devastating losses as counting begins in local elections for more than 4,000 councillors after polling day is thrown into chaos by ID trials
- Polls closed at 10pm in contests for more than 4,000 councillors across England
- The elections are focused on urban areas with London boroughs in the spotlight
- May’s Tories are braced for losses and could concede flagship town halls
- Corbyn’s Labour is waiting to see how anti-Semitism scandal hits its support
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Theresa May is braced for devastating losses in the local elections tonight as counting begins in 4,370 contests across England.
The Conservative Party is expected to be hammered in London and could lose iconic town halls in Barnet, Westminster and Wandsworth that it has run for decades.
Labour will be watching closely to see if the anti-Semitism scandal that has engulfed Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership hits its support at the polls.
Party sources played down the prospect of dramatic gains, insisting Labour is already defending good results from the last time the seats were contested in 2014.
Polls closed at 10pm and votes cast in elections to 150 English councils will be counted in the coming hours with the first results due to be declared shortly after midnight.
Going into election day, Labour held a huge polling lead in London – fuelled by EU citizens allowed to take part in their first election since the Brexit referendum.
But the race is thought to be tighter across the rest of the country, with the Tories hoping to make progress in Brexit-backing areas of the north.
Today’s election was dogged by chaos in areas testing out new rules on voters being forced to show ID before they are allowed to cast a ballot.
Voters were turned away in a series of incidents as ID trials piloted in Bromley, Gosport, Swindon, Watford and Woking’s elections where people have been told they do not have the correct documents to submit their votes.
Theresa May (pictured walking to vote this morning) is braced for devastating losses in the local elections tonight as counting begins in more than 4,000 contests across England.
Labour will be watching closely to see if the anti-Semitism scandal that has engulfed Jeremy Corbyn’s (pictured at his polling station this morning) leadership hits its support at the polls
Elections are being held in English councils last fought over in 2014; 4,371 seats and 150 councils are at stake
Millions of voters were eligible to take part in today’s local elections, which are mostly focused on England’s urban centres including London
The trial, introduced by the Cabinet Office, means residents must bring photo ID or two documents showing proof of address from an approved list of sources.
But it has been branded ‘nonsense’ by some angry locals whose attempts to vote were rejected including 76-year-old Peter White who could not vote in Bromley for the first time since 1957 despite knowing the volunteers at the station.
The plan, similar to a system in the US, has divided opinion with some supporting it as a way to stop election fraud and others claiming it will disenfranchise vulnerable people including older voters.
London is the major battleground tonight after recent polls pointed towards a substantial swing to Labour.
Mr Corbyn’s party will be hoping to win control of Tower Hamlets and Barnet and possibly even the flagship Conservative councils of Wandsworth and Westminster.
But upsets are also possible around the country, with Labour also hopeful of taking power in town halls from Kirklees and Calderdale in Yorkshire and Trafford in Greater Manchester to Plymouth and Swindon in the south.
Mr Corbyn had a smile on his face as he went to the polling booth in Islington this morning amid predictions his party is set for a major boost.
But Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson did not look too worried as he cast his vote at a polling station in Westminster today.
Peter White, 76, pictured, said he was ‘shocked’ to be turned away from the polling booth at Bromley because he did not have the correct ID with the local council one of five across England to trial a new scheme trying to curb voter fraud
But controversial ID trials being piloted around the country have been slammed with some claiming voters have been turned away for not having the right documents
One man in Swindon said an 80-year-old woman was ‘fuming’ after being turned away for not having ID with her
But some said voter ID worked well in Gosport (pictured) and others questioned why anyone would object to the trials
Speaking outside his polling station, Mr Corbyn accused the Conservatives of killing children with ‘heartless’ austerity policies today as he ramped up the rhetoric for the local elections.
LONDON’S KEY BATTLEGROUNDS:
Westminster:
The Conservatives have a strong majority of 30 councillors in the affluent borough, but Labour are hoping anti-Brexit feeling can tempt voters their way.
Labour have embarked on an intensive door-stepping campaign while Jeremy Corbyn has spoken at local events.
But local councillors have described themselves as ‘hopeful but not expectant’ about their chances.
Barnet:
The Tories control the council but have a majority of just one, making it one of Labour’s biggest targets.
Labour supporters have been campaigning against Conservative taxes while the Tories claim Labour is exploiting the poor for ‘political football’.
There are also concerns the anti-Semitism scandal could harm the party’s chances due to a large Jewish population.
Wandsworth:
Again, the Conservatives should be safe in ‘Margaret Thatcher’s favourite borough’ with a majority of 18 and the council has been blue for 40 years.
But Labour made gains in the area at the General Election and ousted junior health minister Jane Ellison from Battersea.
Both parties are pledging hundreds of new homes in the area while council tax is another key issue, with Wandsworth currently offering the second cheapest in the country at £716 per year.
Richmond-upon-Thames:
The Liberal Democrats are looking to win back Richmond after losing it to the Conservatives four years ago.
The Tories currently have a majority of six but the Lib Dems have been out in force in the area, aiming to get votes from EU nationals who oppose Brexit.
The Labour leader said the government’s policies had ‘almost certainly’ increased the death rate and infant mortality.
The intervention comes amid signs the anti-Semitism crisis that has been wracking the party could limit its gains in the English council polls.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell also risked a backlash today by suggesting Labour authorities could increase council tax – saying he believes voters are ready to pay more.
Senior Labour figures have been trying to play down expectations, having previously boasted they were on track to seize Tory strongholds in London like Westminster, Wandsworth and Barnet.
Mr White, 76, of Bromley, said he was ‘shocked’ to be turned away at the polls because he did not have his bank card or passport on him.
He told the Independent: ‘I can’t vote even though the people know me here and I have been a candidate for the Liberals before. Even after all that they still won’t let me vote.
‘Considering they know me, the chances of other people coming down to vote are going to be even less. This is a nonsense scheme.’
The ID trials causing controversy today were brought in by the Cabinet Office after reports of alleged electoral fraud through voter impersonation more than doubled between 2014 and 2016, according to the Electoral Commission.
The exact form of ID varies from council to council, with some requiring a picture ID and others proof of address.
For example, Watford and Swindon required voters to bring their polling cards with them to cast their ballots, whereas it is not compulsory in general.
Elsewhere Woking polling booths are accepting bus passes as photo ID, but Swindon Borough Council are not treating them as acceptable documentation.
The toughest restrictions appear to be in Bromley in south east London were voters must bring either photo ID such as a passport or driving licence OR two documents including marriage or birth certificates, bank statements or utility bills, with at least one containing proof of address.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, pictured at the polling station, has also cast his vote this morning in Westminster
Meanwhile Liberal Democrats leader Vince Cable, pictured, cast his vote at a polling station in Twickenham
Dogs on leads outside polling stations are a familiar sight every year as their owner’s exercise their rights and their pets
It sees the UK follow in the footsteps of the US, where 33 states have introduced some from of ID requirement with Indiana the first to enforce a strict photo ID law in 2006.
WHY ARE ID TRIALS TAKING PLACE AND WHAT DO VOTERS NEED TO BRING?
Currently polling stations do not require you to present formal ID when voting – or even a polling card – with volunteers confirming your address on a form.
The ID trials causing controversy today were brought in by the Cabinet Office after reports of alleged electoral fraud through voter impersonation more than doubled between 2014 and 2016, according to the Electoral Commission.
Woking, Gosport, Bromley, Watford and Swindon volunteered to take part in a trial, which require voters to produce ID before being issued with a ballot paper.
The exact form of ID varies from council to council, with some requiring a picture ID and others proof of address.
For example, Watford and Swindon required voters to bring their polling cards with them to cast their ballots, whereas it is not compulsory in general.
The toughest restrictions appear to be in Bromley in south east London were voters must bring either photo ID such as a passport or driving licence OR two documents including marriage or birth certificates, bank statements or utility bills, with at least one containing proof of address.
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But critics in the UK say there is no evidence to bring such laws to Britain.
Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said: ‘The government has no evidence to support its mandatory voter ID plans. That is more clear than ever when they push highly misleading statistics – ones which have now been denounced by the official statistics body. It is right that ministers are being held to account over these trials’ dodgy foundations.
‘Ministers are grasping at straws, and their draconian push to make ordinary voters show their papers before using their right to vote now looks desperate. The government must stop trying to trick voters and come clean.
‘Last year there were just 28 allegations of ‘personation’ in polling stations – the type of fraud voter ID seeks to address – out of nearly 45 million votes cast.
‘That makes this policy a sledgehammer to crack a nut – particularly when our respected legal system is more than equipped to deal with the issue.
‘This is the latest sign that these trials are ill thought-out, and raise serious concerns for our democracy. These poorly researched trials must not be a ‘fait accompli’ to justify a national roll-out of voter ID.’
Angela Wilkins, leader of the Labour group in Bromley, said five people have been unable to vote at polling stations as a result of the pilot and that the scheme is also causing long delays.
She tweeted: ‘Just been round the C Palace polling stations. 5 people not able to vote due to £voterID pilot and several walked away because of queues @CatSmithMP @labour4bromley. So why are we doing this [email protected] ?’
Although the gap with the Tories has narrowed slightly over the past month, Jeremy Corbyn’s party is still 22 points ahead in London
The presiding officer at the polling station in Sydenham Tennis Club, in the Borough of Bromley, said ‘Only a very small percentage’ of voters had forgotten or were unable to provide ID.
The man, who did not wish to be named, said residents had received five pieces of information explaining the change in the rules, including leaflets, a note with their polling cards and a note on the information about recycling and bin collection.
He added: ‘Voters always have the choice to go home and get some ID.’
Kirsteen Ross, 67, who lives nearby, said she had received at least two leaflets about the change, although no polling cards had been delivered down her street.
‘Polling cards are important because they’re a reminder,’ she said.
When asked if she thought the scheme was a good idea, she replied: ‘No, it’s another restriction on civil liberties – it’s just another way to marginalise people who are already marginalised. They might not have any photo ID.’
Labour councillor Tahir Aziz said a man was turned away from voting at a polling station on Walton Road in Woking because his form of ID, a Surrey County Council document with his picture on it, was not accepted.
Mr Aziz said: ‘This gentleman turned up, showed his ID which included a picture that was clearly him, it was an exact resemblance, but they wouldn’t accept it as it was not on the list of acceptable forms of ID.
‘He was fuming. He was furious. He is a British national and he couldn’t vote.
‘It is having an impact on certain people being disenfranchised by this trial.’
Polling stations have sprung up in all manner of places, including traditional locations such as schools to the more unusual such as this pub, pictured, in Kensington and Chelsea
The polka-dot decorated Bank View Cafe in Sheffield has also been welcoming voters as well as customers today
The rather imposing Victoria and Jubilee Hall in Hartley Wintney, pictured, is another of the grander polling stations
Ellie Reeves, Labour MP for Lewisham West, said that two people had been turned away from voting this morning because they did not have ID on them.
She tweeted: ‘Just been to vote. Was informed that two people had already turned up without ID this morning so had been unable to vote. Very worrying and backs up all the evidence that the voter ID pilot in Bromley is plain wrong.’
Hazel Walters, a resident of Bromley since 1983, told the newspaper: ‘It’s absurd. I think it will discriminate against people. Not everyone’s got a passport, a driving licence and all of that. I think people will be disenfranchised,’ she said.
‘We’re trying to get homeless people to exercise their right to vote, and then at the same time we’re putting all these barriers in place. The council didn’t consult on this or anything.
‘It’s so arbitrary and unnecessary when there are real problems we’ve got to deal with.’
Local elections: the results in full
Local elections have been held across England and the votes are being counted now.
Results are forecast to be announced throughout the night as the counts are finished:
1 Adur 15:00
2 Amber Valley 02:30
3 Barking & Dagenham 03:00
4 Barnet 04:00
5 Barnsley 15:00
6 Basildon 01:00
7 Basingstoke & Deane 03:00
8 Bexley 05:00
9 Birmingham 18:00
10 Blackburn with Darwen 16:00
11 Bolton 04:00
12 Bradford 04:00
13 Brent 05:00
14 Brentwood 03:00
15 Bromley 12:00
16 Broxbourne 00:30
17 Burnley 13:30
18 Bury 01:30
19 Calderdale 13:00
20 Cambridge 05:00
21 Camden 07:00
22 Cannock Chase 01:30
23 Carlisle 02:30
24 Castle Point 01:00
25 Cheltenham 03:30
26 Cherwell 15:30
27 Chorley 02:00
28 Colchester 03:00
29 Coventry 03:30
30 Craven 15:00
31 Crawley 14:30
32 Croydon 07:00
33 Daventry 04:30
34 Derby 06:00
35 Dudley 03:00
36 Ealing 06:00
37 Eastleigh 03:00
38 Elmbridge 16:00
39 Enfield 04:00
40 Epping Forest 02:00
41 Exeter 01:30
42 Fareham 02:00
43 Gateshead 13:30
44 Gosport 03:00
45 Great Yarmouth 13:00
46 Greenwich 08:00
47 Hackney 19:00
48 Halton 01:00
49 Hammersmith & Fulham 03:00
50 Haringey 16:00
51 Harlow 01:00
52 Harrogate 15:00
53 Harrow 16:30
54 Hart 02:00
55 Hartlepool 02:00
56 Hastings 15:00
57 Havant 03:00
58 Havering 07:00
59 Hillingdon 04:00
60 Hounslow 14:30
61 Huntingdonshire 15:00
62 Hyndburn 14:30
63 Ipswich 04:00
64 Islington 18:30
65 Kensington & Chelsea 05:00
66 Kingston-upon-Hull 02:00
67 Kingston-upon-Thames 17:00
68 Kirklees 13:30
69 Knowsley 14:00
70 Lambeth 18:00
71 Leeds 05:00
72 Lewisham 17:00
73 Lincoln 02:30
74 Liverpool 03:00
75 Maidstone 14:00
76 Manchester 18:00
77 Merton 08:00
78 Milton Keynes 13:30
79 Mole Valley 15:00
80 Newcastle-under-Lyme 16:00
81 Newcastle-upon-Tyne 01:00
82 Newham 17:00
83 North East Lincolnshire 03:00
84 North Hertfordshire 02:00
85 North Tyneside 14:00
86 Norwich 14:30
87 Nuneaton & Bedworth 01:00
88 Oldham 02:00
89 Oxford 02:30
90 Pendle 15:30
91 Peterborough 02:00
92 Plymouth 03:00
93 Portsmouth 04:00
94 Preston 02:00
95 Reading 04:00
96 Redbridge 07:00
97 Redditch 15:00
98 Reigate & Banstead 16:00
99 Richmond-upon-Thames 04:00
100 Rochdale 02:00
101 Rochford 02:00
102 Rossendale 14:00
103 Rugby 03:30
104 Runnymede 14:00
105 Rushmoor 03:00
106 Salford 02:00
107 Sandwell 03:00
108 Sefton 01:00
109 Sheffield 03:00
110 Slough 04:00
111 Solihull 13:00
112 Southampton 05:00
113 South Cambridgeshire 17:00
114 Southend-on-Sea 03:00
115 South Lakeland 18:00
116 South Tyneside 01:00
117 Southwark 07:00
118 St Albans 02:30
119 Stevenage 02:30
120 St Helens 03:00
121 Stockport 02:30
122 Sunderland 00:30
123 Sutton 05:00
124 Swindon 01:00
125 Tameside 01:00
126 Tamworth 02:00
127 Tandridge 03:00
128 Three Rivers 15:00
129 Thurrock 05:00
130 Tower Hamlets 19:00
131 Trafford 02:00
132 Tunbridge Wells 15:00
133 Wakefield 04:00
134 Walsall 04:00
135 Waltham Forest 03:00
136 Wandsworth 03:00
137 Watford 16:00
138 Welwyn Hatfield 04:30
139 West Lancashire 02:30
140 Westminster 02:30
141 West Oxfordshire 01:00
142 Wigan 02:30
143 Winchester 05:00
144 Wirral 02:00
145 Woking 17:00
146 Wokingham 04:00
147 Wolverhampton 02:00
148 Worcester 02:00
149 Worthing 15:00
150 Wyre Forest 14:00
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