European Union Referendum Bill

Debate between Lord Foulkes of Cumnock and Lord Willoughby de Broke

Wednesday 28th October 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Willoughby de Broke (UKIP)]

My Lords, I do not think that this amendment has any merit whatever. As the noble Lord on the Cross Benches said, in no other country do foreign nationals have a right to vote at all—ever.

[Lord Foulkes of Cumnock]

The noble Lord does not want us to be associated with any other country, so if we were different would that not please him?

[Lord Willoughby de Broke]

I do not see the point of that intervention at all. I was going to say that, because there is no reciprocity, there is no reason for us to give European citizens the vote in what is a purely national matter, in spite of what the noble Baroness said. She said herself that we do not know what is going to happen with European citizens if and when we vote to leave. People live here because they like living here, not because we are a member of the EU, so that will not change at all.