Fifth Report - The Elections Bill

The Committee notes that electoral law in the UK is voluminous and fragmented across a raft of primary legislation and accompanying secondary legislation. We believe that there is a risk that this Bill will add further complexity.

Whilst a number of the proposed measures have been widely supported, including on undue influence, the Government’s decision to focus on several ‘standalone’ reforms shows a lack of ambition. It has missed the only opportunity to bring forward a Bill … Read more Whilst a number of the proposed measures have been widely supported, including on undue influence, the Government’s decision to focus on several ‘standalone’ reforms shows a lack of ambition. It has missed the only opportunity to bring forward a Bill which simplifies and consolidates electoral law, as has been recommended by the Law Commissions, our predecessor Committee and the CSPL. Such a Bill is likely to have received cross-party support, but most importantly, is required to make electoral law easier to understand and comply with - thereby supporting public confidence in elections. Show less

We are concerned that the voter ID requirement will be burdensome to poll station staff. Many of the practicalities of the voter ID system are still to be set out and the Committee intends to monitor these closely. We recommend … Read more We are concerned that the voter ID requirement will be burdensome to poll station staff. Many of the practicalities of the voter ID system are still to be set out and the Committee intends to monitor these closely. We recommend that all regulations establishing the voter ID system are provided in draft to this and other interested Committees for scrutiny with sufficient time for comment, before they are introduced to the House. (Paragraph 102) Voting for persons with disabilities Show less

The Committee’s inquiry into the work of the Electoral Commission is ongoing, covering a wide range of issues including the regulator’s governance and accountability arrangements.