Former Conservative cabinet minister David Davis has warned that without delaying the rule change, hundreds of thousands of people could be prevented from exercising their democratic right to vote.

One of the main issues is the uptake of free photo ID among those who do not already have one. The government’s own data shows that just over 48,000 people have registered online in the past two months, compared to estimates of between 925,000 and 3.5 million people without existing ID. This means that many people who are eligible to vote may not be able to present the necessary identification at polling stations, potentially leading to their disenfranchisement.

Mr Davis has argued that the system put in place to address the lack of ID among certain groups has not been effective, and that delaying the implementation of the new rule would be a sensible approach. By doing so, the government could ensure that enough people in vulnerable groups are covered by the scheme before it is rolled out more widely.

Despite concerns raised by Mr Davis and others about the potential negative consequences of the new rule, ministers have insisted that it is necessary in order to prevent in-person voter fraud. However, the number of cases of voter fraud is vanishingly low – there was just one incident which initiated court proceedings across all UK elections last year, according to the Electoral Commission.

As the local elections draw closer, it remains to be seen what the impact of compulsory voter ID rules will be on voter turnout and overall election outcomes. While some argue that the change is necessary to maintain the integrity of the voting system, others worry that it could have unintended consequences for large numbers of eligible voters. As Mr Davis has suggested, delaying the implementation of the new rule could be a more prudent course of action.