New UK laws passed this week and how they impact you -from marriage, immigration, protest to voting
| Published date | 29 April 2022 |
| Publication title | WalesOnline (Wales) |
All Bills currently before the UK Parliament are listed on the UK Parliament website in the Parliamentary Business, Bills & Legislation section which also shows what stage a Bill has reached on its passage through Parliament. Bills only become Acts once they have passed all stages of their applicable Parliamentary procedure and receive Royal Assent.
The Manchester Evening News has created a list of some of the laws and how they are set to impact you.
Elections: Photo ID at polling stations and preventing postal vote harvesting
Legislation that requires voters to present photographic ID at polling stations completed its journey through Parliament on Thursday. Critics have suggested that the scale of the problem does not justify the move and have warned that it will hit voter turnout However, the government says the Elections Act "will ensure the electoral system remains secure, transparent and fair for generations to come".
The new laws will apply to all UK Parliamentary elections, mayoral and council elections and local referendums in England, and Police and Crime Commissioner PCC elections in England and Wales. According to government research, 98 per cent of voters already have an accepted form of ID. However, a free voter card will be available from councils for people without one.
An amendment to the bill that would see the list of accepted identification extended to include non-photo documents, such as birth certificates, bank statements and library cards, was rejected by MPs.
Changes to election laws will also see the introduction of new anti-fraud measures for absent voters aimed at preventing postal vote harvesting. Rules will be changed so that people can apply for a postal or proxy vote online through a new system. Local authorities will also be required to provide in-person voters with disabilities with specialist equipment to support them to vote if needed.
The voting system for mayoral and PCC elections will be changed to First Past the Post, meaning that the candidate who wins the most votes in each constituency is elected. In addition, the 15-year limit on British citizens overseas voting in elections will be removed. A new electoral sanction for those convicted of intimidation against a candidate, campaigner or elected office holder will also be introduced.
The government has said it wants the changes under the Elections Act to come into force "within the lifetime...
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