Voting Rights

(asked on 1st June 2018) - View Source

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Government's policy is on extending the franchise to all legal residents of the UK.


Answered by
Chloe Smith Portrait
Chloe Smith
This question was answered on 7th June 2018

Those entitled to vote at UK Parliamentary and local government elections include those who have attained the age of 18 and who are British citizens; citizens of Commonwealth countries who are resident in the UK on a permanent basis or have leave to enter or remain; and citizens of the Republic of Ireland resident in the UK. Resident citizens of other European Union (EU) Member States are eligible to vote at local government elections.

Citizens of other countries do not have the right to vote in UK elections. Citizenship restrictions are the norm for participating in national elections in most democracies, including the UK. The Government has no plans to extend the franchise to all legal residents at this time.

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