Voting Rights: Foreign Nationals
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21697 on Voting Rights: Foreign Nationals, whether she has considered amending the franchise for elections to (a) the UK Parliament, (b) Northern Ireland Assembly, (c) local government elections in England and Northern Ireland and (d) Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 21697, the Government has no plans to amend the voting rights of foreign nationals for elections to the UK Parliament, Northern Ireland Assembly, local government elections in England and Northern Ireland and Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales.
In common with most other democracies, voting rights are limited to citizens. In addition, in UK elections for which the UK Government and Parliament have responsibility (that is, not devolved elections in Scotland and Wales), Commonwealth and Irish citizens can vote, while eligible EU citizens can vote in elections which use the local government register.
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