Barred from the big league
My interview for Newsnight yesterday with the Ipswich Lib Dem councillor Inga Lockington exposed a strange quirk in the British political system.
Mrs Lockington has been a member of Ipswich Borough Council for several years, and also a member of Suffolk County Council. And in 2007-08 she even served as mayor of Ipswich.
Yet interestingly, because she is a Danish citizen, double-councillor Lockington isn't just disqualified from standing as a candidate in the coming general election, she can't even vote in it.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 4th May 2010, thamesmud wrote:Why would you think it strange that you have to be a citizen to vote? Would you expect to be allowed to vote or stand in a Danish election?
What planet do you live on, I suspect it's the same one GOrndon Blown inhabits most of the time.
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Comment number 2.
At 4th May 2010, Trefinboy wrote:Michael
This is a really important point and one that highlights another undemocratic quirk in our electoral system. My wife is a German national and whilst she has lived in the UK since 1980 and has paid tax since she started working back in 1985 she can only vote in local and European elections. She is rather cheesed off about this. Time to start a Euro tea-party?
Regards
Mark Withers
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Comment number 3.
At 4th May 2010, deegee wrote:If legal residents are given the right to vote then why not illegal long term residents? The door for fraud is wide open.
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Comment number 4.
At 5th May 2010, Isatou wrote:Maybe she has a postal vote !
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Comment number 5.
At 5th May 2010, Isatou wrote:Any EU citizen can stand for Parliament in any EU country, provided they have been resident in that country for at least 6 months.
Another reason for getting out of the EU.
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Comment number 6.
At 7th May 2010, monstertot wrote:My husband is Danish and he was able to vote in the election. If he received a ballot card by mistake, how many other people have also voted when they were not entitled to? And surely an EU citizen who pays taxes and is resident in the UK has more entitlement to their vote than a student from a common wealth country such as Zimbabwe?
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