A LEGAL challenge over voter ID trials in last year's local elections has reached the Court of Appeal.

Braintree was among ten local authorities which took part in pilots at last May's elections.

Voters had to meet ID requirements set out by each authority to be able to cast their vote.

The pilots, which were announced by ministers in 2018, were run by the Government with a view to rolling out voter ID nationwide in future elections.

Neil Coughlan, 66, from Witham, brought a crowd-funded legal action against the Government at the High Court in London, arguing the pilots would prevent people from voting.

But in March last year his case was dismissed by High Court judge Mr Justice Supperstone, who ruled the pilot schemes had been "made lawfully".

Mr Coughlan has now taken his case to the Court of Appeal, arguing the trials were unlawful because they went beyond the legal powers granted to ministers under the Representation of the People Act 2000, which sets out rules on the way elections are run.

In submissions to the court, Anthony Peto QC, counsel for Mr Coughlan, said a change to introduce voter identification at the ballot box, "must have a proper legislative underpinning, in which Parliament scrutinises and confronts what it is doing".

Mr Peto also argued the pilot schemes "represent a major constitutional change in the exercise of a fundamental democratic right".

"For the first time, they require voters in mainland Britain to produce identification papers for assessment and adjudication by officials at polling stations before being allowed to vote in person," he said.

Mr Peto told the three senior judges hearing the case that Mr Coughlan "believes that these elections and these rules will serve to disenfranchise the elderly, the poor and the vulnerable".

Government lawyers argued that Mr Coughlan's case should be dismissed.

In his submissions, Hanif Mussa said Mr Justice Supperstone was correct to reject the claim and the arguments put forward by Mr Coughlan on appeal "do not demonstrate otherwise".

In a statement issued ahead of the hearing, Mr Coughlan said: "Hundreds of individuals were denied their vote in last year's local elections because of these voter ID pilots and I am determined to persevere with my case arguing that the pilots were unlawful as they needed an Act of Parliament to be introduced."

Announcing the pilots in November 2018, the Cabinet Office said it was working with a "broad range" of organisations to ensure its policy would reflect the needs of all UK voters.

It also said local authorities will provide alternative methods of ID, free of charge, to anyone who does not have a specified form of ID, so everyone who is registered to vote has the opportunity to do so.

The Conservative Party manifesto for last year's General Election contained a pledge to introduce identification to vote at polling stations.

The judges reserved their judgment.