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Nonsense. A voter ID requirement is a requirement for voters to prove that they are eligible to vote, nothing more and nothing less. The fact that that may impose a small extra burden on a tiny minority of voters is incidental, and the burden is not unreasonable. It is also what all other democracies in the world require, to no ill effect.

To quote you, Nonsense
Every time I've voted int he UK I've never needed an ID. In fact, until a few years ago, UK driving licenses didn't even have photos. You just give your name and address when you walk in. You don't even need the ballot card that's sent to you in the post.
Don't go saying 'all other democracies require' when they don't. Some basic research does wonders....

Unless you left the UK more than 15 years ago, you are eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary elections, EU Parliamentary elections and national referendums (source). If you've been abroad for more than 15 years, surely you could have got citizenship where you've settled by now?

I've been out of the country more like 6 years. It doesn't work the way you describe in practise. There are loopholes that mean it's impossible to get a postal vote or to be registered in any other way in the UK if you live abroad.

If you change address then change country before the voter registration man come around you will never get a vote and can't apply for a postal vote.

Unless you left the UK more than 15 years ago, you are eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary elections, EU Parliamentary elections and national referendums (source). If you've been abroad for more than 15 years, surely you could have got citizenship where you've settled by now?

If only that were true - it amazed me as well but the rules are very clear: if you have not been registered to vote in the UK within the past 15 years you do not get to vote. I am a British citizen (and it is my only citizenship) and yet I cannot vote in this election because I was last registered in the UK in April 1995. What it REALLY irritating is that Canadian citizens resident in the UK get to vote in both the UK and Canadian elections whereas because I am a Brit living in Canada I get to vote in neither the UK nor Canadian elections. It really is high time that Britain updated its voting and citizenship laws which seem far more suited for 18th century and the time of the British Empire that the 21st century world. I do still get to vote in European elections - although even that is messed up because I used to live in France but was not allowed to vote there and had to vote back in the UK!

From the UK and don't like the ID card proposals? Then use your vote next year!

As a UK citizen who works abroad I have not had a vote for years.

Whose fault is that?

There, fixed it for ya'.

From http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/faq/registering_to_vote.aspx

> If you receive a request for your registration information from your local electoral registration office [THEN] you are legally obliged to respond

It would appear that we are not required to volunteer this information.