Labour plan to allow millions of EU citizens to vote

13 May 2023, 23:42 | Updated: 14 May 2023, 09:58

Sir Keir Starmer is planning to give millions of EU citizens the right to vote if Labour returns to power at the next general election, it is reported.

Under manifesto plans, the Labour leader would reportedly launch a “package of proposals” which would include handing the vote to settled migrants and 16 and 17-year-olds.

But the proposed plans have sparked accusations that Sir Keir is "laying the groundwork for a referendum" on rejoining the European Union, The Telegraph reports.

It's thought the move could lead to a wipeout of Tory MPs in London and unseat Boris Johnson from his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, should he stand for Parliament in 2029.

A Labour spokesperson said: “Keir fundamentally believes that if you work hard and contribute to this country, not only should you be able to get on, but it is fair and right that you should also have a say in decisions being made for your community.”

But Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds rowed back slightly from the comments. He said on Sunday: "Some of the speculation that's been in the press about Labour policy actually relates to our policy-making process, it's not our manifesto, it's not a statement of party policy, but it's how we go about doing that."

But he added that his party is "always looking at ways to strengthen our democracy".

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But a spokesperson for the Conservatives said the plans demonstrate Sir Keir's distrust of the public, and accused him of plotting to rejoin the EU: "Allowing foreigners to vote is Sir Keir Starmer’s admission that he doesn’t trust the British people.

"He is laying the groundwork for a referendum to rejoin the EU, something he campaigned so passionately for. And now he wants to rig the outcome.”

Polling expert Prof Sir John Curtice said that young people and migrants were more likely to support Labour.

“The presumption we all have, rightly or wrongly, is that they’re more likely to be opposed to Brexit, and therefore less likely to vote for the Conservative Party,” he told the outlet.

“London is already so overwhelmingly Labour – there are some Tory constituencies left, but not that many of them, and they are the ones that will be particularly on the line.”

Prof Curtis added that the change “might help contribute to the downfall of Boris” in his constituency in west London, which has a large population of migrants, is he remains an MP following the next national vote.

Under the proposals, migrants living permanently and paying tax in the UK would have the right to cast their ballot in general elections for the first time.

It's expected the move would affect around 3.4 million EU citizens in Britain, who already meet the requirements to gain “settled status”.

2.6 million have already achieved “pre-settled” status and could receive voting rights in the future.

Settled EU migrants are already able to cast their vote in some elections, including for the Welsh and Scottish parliaments, local councils, and police and crime commissioners, while sixteen and 17-year-olds have had the right to vote local and devolved assembly elections in Scotland and Wales since 2016 and 2020, respectively.

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Irish and Commonwealth nationals have the right to vote in general elections provided they are UK residents and register cast their vote.

It's thought the proposed extension of the vote is could be the biggest expansion in the size of the franchise since Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act gave women electoral equality with men in 1928.