Let’s allow citizens with ID to vouch for those voting without ID

The storming of the Capitol Building in Washington in January showed that democratic breakdown can occur quickly and unexpectedly, when political parties squabble over voter fraud and elections.

Yesterday in parliament, debates on the Elections Bill saw false claims about the severity of voter fraud confronted by accusations of voter suppression.

Compromise, cross-party consensus and compassion are needed.

Compromises on voter identification, evidence of which I gave to parliament, could include: learning from practices in Canada, we could allow citizens with ID to “vouch” for those without ID. Listening to experiences from the US, we could allow provisional ballots to be cast for those without voter ID on the day. Being flexible about circumstances in a diverse society, we could allow non-photographic identification for those for whom it is easier.

Democracy really is too fragile.

Professor Toby James, University of East Anglia

Norwich

The government’s plans for funding the NHS and social care are breathtakingly immoral. The bulk of the money will come from national insurance increases for those on minimum wage, who will in many cases next month be losing £20 universal credit, and be subject to increased charges for electricity and gas sanctioned by Ofgem. The outcome will be serious poverty felt by those with the least power. The Tories should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves.

Richard Lloyd

Dunfermline

The government has said that, from October 2023, “nobody will pay more than £86,000 for their social care”.

If somebody is already in care at that date, will this limit apply retroactively, prospectively or not at all? It would be rather useful to know, assuming that the government actually does.

Philip Goldenberg

Woking

I may be old fashioned and ignorant when it comes to the digital age, but how can governments accept a currency without any control or intrinsic value that goes up and down like a yo-yo? One day it is worth $10,000, the next $50,000 and then back to $40,000.

No nation or individual can live with such a turbulent financial system where prices fluctuate for no reason, hyperinflation results and savings could be made worthless overnight. It is like the Reichsmark in the Weimar Republic and we know where that led.

Cryptocurrencies are precarious in a world facing economic competition and rivalry between the major powers.

All digital currencies should be banned before the world’s economies collapse, resulting in social unrest.

Peter Fieldman

Florence

Having pulled out of Afghanistan, western media is quick and correct to point out the obvious – the lack of women’s rights and the fact there are no women in the new Afghan administration.

I wonder if the Taliban is asking where all the non-privileged, non-wealthy, unconnected, non-privately educated people are in the developed, civilised, progressive Westminster administration?

Amanda Baker

Edinburgh

There seems to be a totally false premise presented that when someone retires and receives their pension, they somehow morph into a benefit recipient.

The retired have earned their pensions by working and contributing for 35 years-plus – that pension is a hard-won right.

Younger people starting their life of work will earn their pensions in due course, they are not paying for older people’s lifestyles.

The viewing of the whole pensions debate through the focus of some sort of intergenerational war is damaging and divisive. Solidarity through the generations is what is required.

Paul Donovan

London