‘Common sense’ to permit EU nationals full voting rights, Starmer suggests
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ir Keir Starmer has indicated it’s “common sense” to permit EU nationals who’ve labored for years within the UK to vote in a normal election, as Labour considers extending the franchise.
The Opposition chief mentioned it “feels wrong” that individuals who have contributed to Britain’s financial system and raised their youngsters within the nation usually are not allowed to forged a poll.
Labour is open to each decreasing the voting age to 16 and lengthening rights to settled migrants, however has pressured these are presently “ideas” being “looked at” relatively than coverage.
I feel that feels mistaken and one thing must be achieved about it
Speaking on LBC, Sir Keir mentioned: “If someone has been here say 10, 20, 30 years, contributing to this economy, part of our community, they ought to be able to vote. You go to doors sometimes in a general election and you’re met with someone who says ‘look, I’m an EU citizen, I’ve been living here 30 years, I’m married to a Brit, my kids were raised and brought up here, they’re now working in the UK… but I can’t vote’.
“I think that feels wrong and something ought to be done about it.”
He added that the actual fact settled migrants don’t have full voting rights “actually just doesn’t pass the common sense test for me”.
Allowing youngsters aged 16 and over to forged a poll can also be “not such an outlandish idea”, Sir Keir mentioned.
He pointed to Wales the place the voting age for Senedd and native authorities elections has been lowered to 16.
The Labour chief insisted that he has no intention of reopening the difficulty of Brexit after Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands accused him of making an attempt to “rig the electorate to rejoin the EU”.
“The right to vote in parliamentary elections and choose the next UK government is rightly restricted to British citizens and those with the closest historical links to our country,” Mr Hands mentioned.
“No other EU country allows EU citizens who are not their nationals to vote in parliamentary elections.”
Meanwhile, former Liberal Democrat chief Sir Vince Cable urged to The Observer it will be “highly improbable” that his celebration would enter a coalition with Labour.
Sir Keir has repeatedly refused to rule out such a pact, saying on Monday that he would wish to “wait and see what the situation is next year”.
Downing Street indicated there have been no plans to increase the franchise for normal elections.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman mentioned: “The right to vote in parliamentary elections and choose the next UK Government is restricted to British citizens, citizens of those with the closest historical links to our country. That’s the position of the vast majority of nations across the world.”
He added that 18 “is recognised as the age at which one becomes an adult – full citizenship rights, drinking, smoking, voting are only gained at adulthood”.
“We have no plans to change the national voting age,” the spokesman mentioned.