At lunch time on Christmas Day, as my local MP Jeremy Hunt was visiting the Churches Together lunch at the Baptist Church on Queen Street in Godalming, I was lucky to have the opportunity to pass on to him a Christmas card with festive greetings, also detailing my grave concerns about Jeremy's government instituting voter ID in all UK elections from May 2023 (which will be when residents of South West Surrey have the opportunity to vote for their local council representatives).

Awareness of the need for photographic ID in order to vote next year is extremely limited, which is of huge concern in a liberal democracy.

I was keen to emphasise to Jeremy that, with regards the introduction of voter ID, that it’s been justified with reference to existing personation at polling stations, presents a highly skewed and inaccurate picture.

The speed at which this policy is being implemented should be of great concern to voters in South West Surrey and throughout the country.

There has been very little serious attempt to learn from pilots; legitimate concerns raised by the Association of Electoral Administrators and others are considered to have been brushed aside by the government.

As you will know, Waverley Borough Council recently unanimously carried a cross-party motion opposing government plans for voter ID.

We cannot be complacent about the safety of our democracy in the UK and locally. I will be looking forward to following up on my concerns with Jeremy in the new year.

Rebecca Thompson, Milford