Sir Keir Starmer has stated it “does not pass the common sense test” that EU nationals who’ve lived within the UK long-term cannot vote typically elections.
The Labour chief additionally stated it’s “not such an outlandish idea” to permit 16 and 17-year-olds to solid a poll, as he confirmed his occasion is “looking at” increasing the voting franchise.
It comes after Tory MPs accused him of attempting to “re-open Brexit” and “rig elections” in Labour’s favour, following reviews he desires to provide thousands and thousands of EU residents and youngsters the best to vote.
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Speaking on LBC, the opposition chief stated: “There’s no plan to reverse Brexit, I do not know what number of instances I’ve stated there is no case for going again in.
“We are going to make Brexit work, that’s our absolutely firm position.”
Referring to EU migrants who’ve lived and labored within the UK long-term, Sir Keir stated the very fact they don’t have full voting rights “feels wrong and something ought to be done about it”.
‘This is the place they reside’
He identified EU nationals can already vote in native elections and Commonwealth residents can vote in generals.
Sir Keir stated: “Let’s take someone who has been here for 30 years, has literally put down their roots here, is married to a Brit and has kids here.
“This is the place they reside, that is the place they contribute, it’s extremely arduous to say you need to be voting again in your nation of origin, it does not cross the frequent sense take a look at for me.”
Sir Keir backed “full voting rights for EU nationals” during the Labour leadership campaign in 2020, while letting 16 and 17-year-olds vote was in the party’s 2019 manifesto.
The proposals sparked a fresh backlash on Sunday after The Telegraph reported he was sticking to the plans – which could affect around 3.4 million EU nationals in the UK who have “settled standing”.
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‘We ought to decrease the voting age’
‘Not an outlandish thought’
The Conservatives stated migrants, alongside youthful folks, usually tend to vote for Labour and accused the occasion of attempting to “rig” future elections.
Tory occasion chairman Greg Hands stated that “no other EU country allows EU citizens who are not their nationals to vote in parliamentary elections”.
Speaking to LBC’s Nick Ferrari, Sir Keir pressured there was no “settled policy” to develop voting rights, however the problem was “being looked at” – and decreasing the voting age to 16 was additionally “going into the mix”.
“They can have babies, they can work, they can join the army, so there are big things you can do at 16 and 17, it’s not such an outlandish idea,” he stated.
However, he stated proportional illustration – which some figures in his occasion are calling for – wouldn’t be a precedence for an incoming Labour authorities and his focus could be fixing the economic system and the NHS.
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Sir Keir insisted he believes Labour is heading in the right direction for a majority in Westminster within the wake of some key battlefield wins at this month’s native elections – regardless of projections suggesting a hung parliament is extra probably.
He stated he’s “not interested” in a coalition, and reiterated that he has dominated out a take care of the Scottish National Party.
However, the Labour chief recommended he isn’t closed to a deal elsewhere – and refused to explicitly rule one out with the Liberal Democrats.
Content Source: information.sky.com