Gina Miller: EU citizens should vote Liberal Democrat
EU citizens in the UK are able to vote in local elections though not general elections. That means this May’s round of local elections is, by-elections aside, their first chance to cast a verdict on Theresa May’s Hard Brexit plans in the Conservative general election manifesto. It’s a group of people the Liberal Democrats are putting particular effort into reaching, including with HQ running an online advertising campaign aimed at them which local Lib Dem campaigners can buy into for their area.
But will it work, both at persuading EU citizens to vote and to vote Liberal Democrat? As with other voters, Brexit won’t be the only issue in their minds. But it will be a major issue and campaigns such as #ABTV are trying to encourage anti-Brexit tactical voting in May.
Now, Gina Miller – one of the most powerful anti-Brexit voices – is urging EU citizens to vote Liberal Democrat:
EU citizens should vote for @LibDems then! I'm ashamed of how we're treating EU citizens who are living, working & contributing to the UK. An EU 'stay at home mum' told me she's been classed as low skilled so her husband & son can stay but she can't – abhorrent! https://t.co/nMJ8RLWt6v
— Gina Miller (@thatginamiller) February 26, 2018
The other factor to watch as the local elections near is what happens to the pro-Remain Conservative vote. There are more people who voted Remain 2016 and Conservative 2017 than who voted Leave 2016 and Labour 2017. Yet this former, larger group is mostly neglected.
Fascinating data from @BESResearch shows that at the 2017 election Tory remainers were still a bigger political force than Labour leavers. Food for thought. pic.twitter.com/ZSKjqgKeMv
— James Kanagasooriam (@JamesKanag) February 25, 2018
All the more so as the run up to 2017 suggested in both Parliamentary and council by-elections that it could be rather soft when up against Lib Dems.
— Mark Pack (@markpack) February 26, 2018
This all could set up a promising set of local council election results for the Liberal Democrats, which then gives some real political muscle to moving votes in Parliament – both the Commons and the Lords – on Brexit. Could.
One way to help make that could a reality is to support the excellent ALDC local election appeal.
Hopefully this will be the last set of elections in which we allow EU citizens any say in the UK democratic process. Indeed maybe the Government could address other voting anomalies and make sure that only British Citizens can vote in British elections.That means no Commonwealth citizen or Irish Republic citizen a vote.
Quite a few EU citizens recognise this as there seems to be a spike in applications for British citizenship and I certainly wish them all success.
Sandy, what happens to “no taxation without representation” under your plan? Or do they stop paying taxes as well? Lots of unintended consequences coming down the line.
Strange comment above. We are all EU Citizens and we should all fight tooth and nail to maintain that status and all the privileges and freedoms it encompasses. Yes we should all be voting LibDem, Green, SNP, Plaid, and give the Labour and Conservatives the beating they deserve. Do what’s best for our country and stop Brexit now
There is a definite move from both Labour and the Conservative to the Liberal Democrats as many of the by elections show. It seems most soft Labour and soft Conservatives are moving to the centre ground and see the Lib Dems as the party of the common sense and the centre ground. Extreme politics including hard brevet is playing its part and even ex skip voters are splitting across to all parties in an anti establishment basis. This was shown in the Carterton South by election vote where the Lib Dems increased their share of the vote by an increase of 17 per cent dislodging Labour to take 2nd place
isn’t it strange how Gina Miller is so rarely quoted in the UK ‘free’ press.?
Green card holders in the USA otherwise known as “Permanent residents” are not allowed to vote in USA elections so why do we allow EU citizens living in the UK a vote in local elections? (Not until they become US Citizens). Presumably they get to vote in their country of origin as well? Next question: Are UK citizens living in other EU countries permitted to vote in those elections?
Green card holders can vote in US local and state elections, David – e.g. see https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/green-cards-membership-has-its-privileges – so in answer to your first question it’s normal across many different countries to allow people living in them to vote for local elections even if they are not citizens of the country.
In Italy, yes. I can’t speak of other countries, but when I lived in Italy I could vote in local elections.
When we lived in France we were entitled to vote in the elections to the lowest-tier authority (i.e., a commune of 2,000 inhabitants). This right did not extend to departmental, regional or national elections.
The EU citizens in this country must, for the sake of honesty and decency, show that they will not put up with the lies and deception that the Tory Brexiteers had dished out before the referendum and still doing it. These citizens need to give a bloody nose to the Tory Brexiteers and wipe them out in the local election. The best strategy would be to support Lib-Dems wholeheartedly.
UK citizens are allowed vote in the Republic of Ireland ie reciprocal voting rights. This long predates the EU of course.
If people are living in this country, contributing, paying taxes, then they definitely should be allowed to vote in all elections.
EU citizens resident in other EU countries have the right to vote in local and European Parliament elections in their country of residence: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/residence/elections-abroad/municipal-elections/index_en.htm
I am surprised so many people are not aware of this. It’s a right all EU citizens have as citizens of states that are members of a unique international institution that upholds liberal, democratic and humanitarian values. I hope the UK government does not intend undermine those values by disenfranchising EU citizens who live in Britain. And I hope that EU citizens living here will also, in the future, be permitted to vote also in general elections.
As one whose Tweet was quoted above ~ let me say: the comment on ‘no EU citizens voting’ is as absurd as it is racist. Wherever you pay your taxes, you have a right to vote. If you are going to follow this line of argument, you end up in Nazi Germany, that denied various groups the ‘right’ to participate in democracy and cattle-trucked thgem to their deaths (as happened to my grandparents).
If prisoners are allowed to vote, then so should people who are living and working here.The ‘real’ scandal in the EU Referendum was that Brits living aborad for some years were not allowed to vote in the Referendum. And now face the prospect of being stranded in the country of settlement. Let us hear NO MORE about this or that group not being allowed to exercise their democratic votes in the country they have chosen to call home. Carol Hedgeds (dual German/English National. Citizen of the World)
There are millions he EU citizens who can vote in UK General elections. We have not left the EU yet and are trying our best not to!
UK citizens are all EU citizens so going ahead with this really should prevent everyone from voting. At least, until we have committed brexitcide.