Sir Keir Starmer has indicated Labour may extend the vote to EU nationals in a general election.
He suggested it is “common sense” to allow EU nationals who have worked in the UK for years to vote in a general election.
Speaking on LBC, Sir Keir said that if someone was part of the community, they deserved the right to vote.
“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,” he said.
Sir Keir added that “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.”
Labour is open to both lowering the voting age to 16 and extending rights to settled migrants.
He has stressed, however, that these are currently “ideas” being “looked at”, rather than official party policy.
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HeadlineLabour considering extending vote to EU nationals in general elections
Short HeadlineLabour consider allowing EU nationals to vote in general elections
StandfirstThey are also considering lowering to voting age to 16, describing both as 'common sense'
Sir Keir Starmer has indicated Labour may extend the vote to EU nationals in a general election.
He suggested it is “common sense” to allow EU nationals who have worked in the UK for years to vote in a general election.
Speaking on LBC, Sir Keir said that if someone was part of the community, they deserved the right to vote.
“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,” he said.
Sir Keir added that “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.”
Labour is open to both lowering the voting age to 16 and extending rights to settled migrants.
He has stressed, however, that these are currently “ideas” being “looked at”, rather than official party policy.
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