Voter photo ID plan attacked as UK data shows no cases of impersonation

System's opponents say it creates barrier to voting, with no proven instances of personation' at polling stations last year

Ministers have faced renewed accusations that the plan to impose mandatory photo ID for voting is a waste of time and resources after new statistics showed there was not a single proven case of in-person voter impersonation last year.

Meanwhile, other official data showed minimal take-up of free official voter documents before the first mass use of ID during local elections in England on 4 May, with applications for the documents closing in three weeks.