Tory election leaflet wrongly tells voters they do not need ID at polls after 'printing error'

The Conservative Party has been forced to apologise after distributing election leaflets which told voter people they did not need to take ID when they go to vote in the local elections.

The leaflets, which were distributed to around 250 homes in Norwich, encouraged people to vote Tory, and incorrectly stated: "You don’t need to take any ID in order to vote, so long as you are registered."

However, voters do need to take photo ID to the polling stations in the local elections next week.

They will be asked to present a passport, driving licence or another form of approved photo identification at the ballot.

After the mistake was highlighted on Twitter, local Conservatives insisted it was an innocent mistake and the result of using an "incorrect template".

A spokesman for the Norwich Conservative Federation: "We would like to express our regret for any confusion resulting from the printing error caused by the unintended use of an incorrect template.

"Our assessment suggests that approximately 250 leaflets were disseminated in Norwich before the issue was identified.

"To rectify the situation, we will produce new copies of the leaflet with accurate information and guarantee that they are delivered to the households that received the incorrect version."

Opposition parties who oppose the introduction of voter ID said they were concerned.

The Liberal Democrats are calling on the Conservative Party to investigate how the leaflets were printed and delivered, and what safeguards were being put in place to prevent a repeat.

Labour said even if the leaflet was simply a mistake, it showed why the previous system of not bringing ID helped to increase voter turnout.

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