UK voter ID laws attack ‘democratic rights of people of colour’, say artists in open letter

Exclusive: Lenny Henry, Anish Kapoor and Marianne Jean-Baptiste among actors calling for Keir Starmer to scrap rules

Voter ID laws are an attack on the democratic rights of people of colour" and should be scrapped, more than 50 eminent actors, artists, campaigners and others from minority ethnic communities have told Keir Starmer in an open letter.

The signatories, including Sir Lenny Henry, the artist Anish Kapoor, the actors Sophie Okonedo, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, David Harewood and Paterson Joseph, the Bridgerton stars Adjoa Andoh and India Amarteifio and the writer Kamila Shamsie, said there was no reason for the new government to keep the rules.