FORMER UK PRIME Minsiter Boris Johnson was turned away from a polling station after forgetting to bring a photo ID.

The PA news agency understands that Johnson was told by polling station staff he would not be able to vote without proving his identity.

The requirement to provide photo ID was introduced by Johnson during his time in Downing Street as part of the Elections Act 2022.

It is understood Johnson was later able to vote in yesterday’s local elections and that he voted Conservative.

Thursday’s election is the first time many voters in England and Wales have had to present ID to vote under provisions first rolled out at last year’s local elections.

Acceptable forms of ID include a passport, driving licence, Proof of Age Standards Scheme (Pass) cards, Blue Badges, and some concessionary travel cards.

The Government has also said it intends to make veterans’ ID cards a valid form of voter identification after former service personnel were turned away from polling stations.

Meanwhile, a Conservative MP has said his dyspraxia caused him to misplace his photo ID, forcing him to arrange an emergency proxy vote for Thursday’s local elections.

Tom Hunt, who represents Ipswich, warned people “persecuting” him online to be “very careful with their words”, saying it is “well known that sadly we are slightly more prone to lose things”.

Downing Street said it had no wider concerns about the operation of the voter ID requirement, adding that only 0.25% of would-be voters had been turned away from polling stations for lacking the correct documents.