In a surprising turn of events, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was denied entry to a polling station in South Oxfordshire during the United Kingdom's local elections due to forgetting to bring his photo ID. This incident comes as a remarkable irony since it was Johnson's own government that introduced the photo ID requirement in the Elections Act 2022.

According to reports from PA media, polling station staff were forced to turn away Johnson as he attempted to cast his ballot on Thursday. However, Johnson returned later with the necessary identification and was able to successfully vote.

The law mandating photo ID to vote was met with widespread criticism when it was originally introduced. In 2023, the UK's Electoral Commission cautioned that this law could potentially exclude hundreds of thousands of individuals from voting, particularly impacting the unemployed and members of ethnic minorities. Furthermore, a cross-party group of Members of Parliament published a report in March, warning that millions of voters might face disenfranchisement due to the country's electoral registration system.

Thursday's local elections, which encompassed over 100 councils and several mayoral contests, have provided some insight into the current political landscape. With around a third of the results declared, it appears that the Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, may face significant losses. More than 100 seats on local councils and a parliamentary seat in a by-election have been lost, aligning with the existing national polls that suggest a considerable lead for the opposition Labour Party.

Moreover, amidst the election buzz, other individuals were also turned away from polling stations for failing to meet the ID requirement. Army veteran Adam Diver expressed his disappointment after his veterans' ID card was not accepted, stating, "The legislation on acceptable forms of ID came out before the veterans ID cards started coming out in January this year. I will do all I can to change it before the next one."

The incident involving Johnson serves as a reminder of the contentious nature surrounding voter ID laws and their potential impact on voter participation. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how this incident and the local election results will shape the trajectory of UK politics and potentially influence future general elections.