'They've done the right thing' - Veteran who was turned away from voting hails ID card rule change

Mrs Ashton, who was able to vote at the general election in July by using her bus pass, is happy that the Government has done the "right thing".

"I heard a few days ago," said the 73-year-old from Uffington, near Shrewsbury, who had her veterans card since 2018.

"It was quite upsetting when I was turned away," she said. Until this year she had never missed an election.

"It is quite dear to me that if you have done years in the forces that you would think the ID card would mean something - and now it does.

"The Government has finally realised that it is the right thing to do."

The move was welcomed by South Shropshire MP Stuart Anderson.

He said he is “delighted” that the UK’s two million veterans will be able to vote using the HM Armed Forces Veteran Card in future elections. He had tabled a written question calling for the change last month.

In Parliament, Mr Anderson called for veteran cards to be accepted as forms of voter identification in elections. The Government has confirmed they can now be accepted.

The change means that veteran cards now feature on the list of acceptable IDs, in addition to the already accepted Ministry of Defence identification card. It brings parity between veterans and serving armed services personnel.

In Mr Anderson's South Shropshire constituency there are more than 4,000 veterans.

This represents almost one in 10 households in the community.

Mr Anderson said: “The UK’s two million veterans have given so much to protect our country at home and overseas.

"The Armed Forces Veteran Card provides clear recognition of their service. It is right that the card can be used to vote in elections, strengthening their connection with the very democratic processes which they have made so many sacrifices to upheld. Having raised a question in Parliament calling for this change, I am delighted that this change has now been accepted.”

In announcing the changes, the Ministry of Defence said: “We recognise that the veteran card is a powerful symbol of veterans’ service and its addition to the list is one of the things this Government is doing to honour their contribution.

"The addition of the veteran card supports them engaging in the elections process and in exercising their democratic rights. We would like to thank those who have campaigned to make this change a reality.”

The ID was officially launched in January this year, with the Government issuing the photographic ID over the last 12 months to the nation’s veterans as a “recognition of service, a tangible link to the Armed Forces and to allow them to easily verify their veteran status”.