Northumbrian

I think you'll find that they can't.

People of the Commonwealth and EU only.

Britannist

True.

This Labour shower in power would like the votes of EU 'citizens' in the UK in any referendum held on the EU too.

Britannist

I understand that people from EU nations who are not British subjects cannot vote in a UK General Election - with the exception of nationals of the Irish Republic.

George

Only UK and Commonwealth citizens can vote in general elections, not EU citizens. EU citizens can vote in EU elections and local elections. Americans, it seems, cannot even vote in local elections. I wonder if they have to pay council tax and if so perhaps what we're doing is dangerous. We all know how they feel about taxation without representation.

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Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła,
Kiedy my żyjemy.

George

Also Malta and Cyprus.

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Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła,
Kiedy my żyjemy.

Northumbrian

Personally, I think only British citizens should be allowed to vote in any elections here. Though I suppose we could make an exception for the Irish (Council of the Isles or stuff like that).

Britannist

I wasn't aware of that - thank you for telling me George.

I expect people resident in the UK from Malta and Cyprus get voting rights in UK General Elections because those two countries are, of course, in the Commonwealth.

marcus

I agree, British citizens should be the only ones allowed to vote in GE. It makes a mockery of British Citizenship, It demeans it - a british citizen has no more rights than a commonwealth citizen who is a permanent resident at the end of the day. There is more and more push for EU citizens to be allowed to vote in GE, if this happens then it will be all but the final nail in the coffin for the anti eu cause. Labour in particular will push and push and push for this in the name of equality, especialy because they are slumping in the polls.

One thing I would like to know, if there is a national referendum on Britains membership of the EU? Who would have the right to vote in it? I am assuming it would be the same criteria as for GE ie: British and Commonwealth citizens only.

It would be interesting to know if the turn out for EU citizens at elections is big. I imagine many would not give a damn about it.

steve fowler

It would be good if the Common Wealth council could do a sort of cost's test to see if the UK would be better off trading and working with it then being stuck in the EU but i bet even if it could be done the europhiles would stop it,if not possible rigg the test to make the public think they are better staying in the EU!.

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RULE BRITANNIA BRITANNIA RULES THE WAVES, BRITONS NEVER EVER SHALL BE SLAVE'S.

Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
Winston Churchill.

When Labour won the 1997 General Election, Enoch Powell told his wife that the electorate had voted to break up the United Kingdom.

Britannist

I think you are right, Marcus - British and Commonwealth people resident in the UK can vote in British General elections (as well as people from the Irish Republic).

However, one of the leading figures in the Labour group of eurosceptic MPs did complain a few years ago after reports emerged that the Labour Government was allegedly looking at the possibility of allowing people from EU nations resident in the UK to vote in any referendum on the euro in the UK.

Apart from the one million east europeans in the UK, there are at least 300, 000 French people living here (mostly in the London area) - plus large numbers of people from Italy, Spain and Portugal.