Why are Irish people allowed vote in a British election - under Commonwealth Law?

Motley Crue · 05-08-2010 10:59AM #1

So I moved to England a few years ago, and a letter arrives in the door during the last General Elections (and now more recently for future Local Elections) and I'm told on both that I am allowed vote in all UK elections since I am Irish and live 183 days or more in the UK a year (that is, I claim residency here)

I do some research and find that a French, South African, German or Dutch person hasn't got the the same rights as me. They can't vote in all UK elections (EU citizens can vote in some, but not everything, and General Elections are normally a big no no), whereas the moment I step off the plane I can pretty much go to the voting booth. An EU citizen has to wait a certain amount of time before they can vote, an Irish person doesn't, and an EU citizen will never be allowed vote in all elections unless they declare themselves a citizen of the UK. They have to apply for citizenship to do this.

I have to say I was a bit confused - so I did some further research - and found that due to Commonwealth Laws it is still perfectly acceptable for an Irish person to vote in a UK election. This is a person born and raised in the Republic of Ireland with an Irish passport. If you were born and raised in Northern Ireland, you can apply for duel citizenship, and receive both passports.

Canada, which is still a part of the commonwealth, does not have this right. Neither does Australia. So why is it that a country which fought so hard to obtain it's Independence has still got this connection with the UK? For me, it seems wrong, because it implies a connection between the UK and Ireland and I always believed the Republic of Ireland to be fully independent from the UK?

Are UK citizens allowed to vote in Irish elections?

snubbleste · 05-08-2010 11:02AM

Motley Crue wrote: »

Are UK citizens allowed to vote in Irish elections?

Yes.
British citizens may vote at Dáil elections, European elections and local elections. They can't vote on referenda.
Cyprus and Malta are also eligible to vote in all UK elections.

Kev_ps3 · 05-08-2010 11:05AM

snubbleste wrote: »

Yes.
British citizens may vote at Dáil elections, European elections and local elections. They can't vote on referenda.

Thats mad.
Seems the tentacles of Imperialism havent fully been broken yet.

dlofnep · 05-08-2010 11:16AM

Kev_ps3 wrote: »

Thats mad.
Seems the tentacles of Imperialism havent fully been broken yet.

If they lived in Ireland, what exactly is your problem with them voting? Take my friend's parents for example. They have lived in Ireland for 30 years, but spent their first 20 years of life living in England. Why shouldn't they have the right to vote in affairs that affects them?

admiralofthefleet · 05-08-2010 11:22AM

i could be wrong but the brits control all of our lighthouses and bouys around the coast, im open to correction on this

the connctions we have to them piss me right off, we are a soverign independant country. we should break any ties that link us to them and their commonwealth

owenc · 05-08-2010 11:27AM

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

i could be wrong but the brits control all of our lighthouses and bouys around the coast, im open to correction on this

the connctions we have to them piss me right off, we are a soverign independant country. we should break any ties that link us to them and their commonwealth

You wouldn't survive.. aswell then.

pablomakaveli · 05-08-2010 11:28AM

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

i could be wrong but the brits control all of our lighthouses and bouys around the coast, im open to correction on this

the connctions we have to them piss me right off, we are a soverign independant country. we should break any ties that link us to them and their commonwealth

Theres a dual Irish - British fund for lighthouses i think. They don't control them.

As for the voting it was a mutual agreement between the Irish and British governments to give each others citizens the vote.

I don't see any problem with it.

owenc · 05-08-2010 11:29AM

pablomakaveli wrote: »

Theres a dual Irish - British fund for lighthouses i think. They don't control them.

As for the voting it was a mutual agreement between the Irish and British governments to give each others citizens the vote.

I don't see any problem with it.

I do because then the irish ones can come up here and vote for sin fien or something and we would end up having them in government for NI when really the country may not want them in government.

Notorious97 · 05-08-2010 11:32AM

We should all go to the UK and vote for some outsider for the craic, im sure we could get them in :pac:

I think if they live here permenantly they are entitled to vote in our elections as they will have to put up with whatever gob****e we vote in, they may aswell have a say in it also.

Just because British people vote inour elections doesnt mean we are not free from them (even if it isnt yet a full 32 county freedom!), it is our elections in a Republic, seperate from the UK, i see no harm in british residents in the ROI voting here.

dlofnep · 05-08-2010 11:33AM

owenc wrote: »

I do because then the irish ones can come up here and vote for sin fien or something and we would end up having them in government for NI when really the country may not want them in government.

Sinn Féin received the highest number of votes of any party in the last elections. It doesn't need anyone from down south to move up and increase it's vote. It's doing well on it's own. Sinn Féin is already in Government in Stormont btw.

You're going to have to get used to it. Nationalists have representation and rightly so.

old_aussie · 05-08-2010 11:34AM

Is it something to do with a certain percent of votes being "donkey votes"

old_aussie runs off to find flame proof suit

Kintarō Hattori · 05-08-2010 11:35AM

I really don't see a problem with this. Ireland has close ties with Britian both economically, socially and politcally. A 'special relationship' between America and Britain (it's former colonial power) is often mentioned and the fact is that we have a well established 'special relationship' with our closest neighbour. It benefits us both to have this and waffling about severing our links with them or that we haven't completely thrown off the shackles of our past is daft- pure and simple.

We declared our independance a long time ago and that has been respected. We don't need to shout the loudest about it- that's just childish and makes us look ignorant.

owenc · 05-08-2010 11:36AM

dlofnep wrote: »

Sinn Féin received the highest number of votes of any party in the last elections. It doesn't need anyone from down south to move up and increase it's vote. It's doing well on it's own. Sinn Féin is already in Government in Stormont btw.

You're going to have to get used to it. Nationalists have representation and rightly so.

No the dup is the largest party sorry dear and they are not nationalists they are republicans.

mike65 · 05-08-2010 11:36AM

Kev ps3 never ceases to amaze me with his narrow views. But his choice of signature is always a reminder of his sort.

pablomakaveli · 05-08-2010 11:37AM

owenc wrote: »

I do because then the irish ones can come up here and vote for sin fien or something and we would end up having them in government for NI when really the country may not want them in government.

Not everyone in the Republic vote for Sinn Fein.

mike65 · 05-08-2010 11:38AM

Hardly anyone in the Republic votes Sinn Fein

dlofnep · 05-08-2010 11:39AM

owenc wrote: »

No the dup is the largest party sorry dear.

Did you read what I said?

"Sinn Féin received the highest number of votes of any party in the last elections"

This is a documented fact. More people voted for Sinn Féin in the last elections than any other party in the north. My point still stands. Sinn Féin is doing well on it's own, without requiring mass amounts of people to move up north and swing the vote.

2010 Election Results:

Sinn Féin: 171,942
DUP: 168,216

Kev_ps3 · 05-08-2010 11:40AM

dlofnep wrote: »

If they lived in Ireland, what exactly is your problem with them voting? Take my friend's parents for example. They have lived in Ireland for 30 years, but spent their first 20 years of life living in England. Why shouldn't they have the right to vote in affairs that affects them?

I think only Irish people should have the vote, just my opinion. If they dont like the affairs that affects them then they could go home.

mike65 · 05-08-2010 11:41AM

Kev_ps3 wrote: »

I think only Irish people should have the vote, just my opinion. If they dont like the affairs that affects them then they could go home.

So taxpayers can **** off?

Kev_ps3 · 05-08-2010 11:41AM

mike65 wrote: »

Kev ps3 never ceases to amaze me with his narrow views. But his choice of signature is always a reminder of his sort.

My sort lol, what sort if that.

owenc · 05-08-2010 11:42AM

dlofnep wrote: »

Did you read what I said?

"Sinn Féin received the highest number of votes of any party in the last elections"

This is a documented fact. More people voted for Sinn Féin in the last elections than any other party in the north. My point still stands. Sinn Féin is doing well on it's own, without requiring mass amounts of people to move up north and swing the vote.

2010 Election Results:

Sinn Féin: 171,942
DUP: 168,216

If all the unionists parties were joint they would outwardly beat both nationalist parties .. and dup have the most seats.

dlofnep · 05-08-2010 11:42AM

Kev_ps3 wrote: »

I think only Irish people should have the vote, just my opinion. If they dont like the affairs that affects them then they could go home.

Why would they go home if they live here? Home is where the heart is. My friend's parents have made their home in Ireland, have paid for their house, have paid their taxes - and have probably contributed more to this state than you have.

Why on earth wouldn't they have a chance to vote after living here for 30 years? Just because they are English?

Jesus christ - Sometimes I understand why people look at Republicans and think we're all nutters, when they have to read that sort of nonsense all the time.

owenc · 05-08-2010 11:42AM

Kev_ps3 wrote: »

My sort lol, what sort if that.

The one that thinks that unionists should be burn't to death and shouldn't be here.

Notorious97 · 05-08-2010 11:42AM

pablomakaveli wrote: »

Not everyone in the Republic vote for Sinn Fein.

unfortunately

dlofnep · 05-08-2010 11:43AM

owenc wrote: »

If all the unionists parties were joint they would outwardly beat both nationalist parties .. and dup have the most seats.

My point still stands.

Sinn Féin received more votes than any other party. It doesn't require people to flock up north in their 1000's to increase their vote. So your fears are irrational.

pablomakaveli · 05-08-2010 11:44AM

Notorious97 wrote: »

Fortunately

FYP;)

ejmaztec · 05-08-2010 11:45AM

Notorious97 wrote: »

We should all go to the UK and vote for some outsider for the craic, im sure we could get them in :pac:

I think if they live here permenantly they are entitled to vote in our elections as they will have to put up with whatever gob****e we vote in, they may aswell have a say in it also.

Just because British people vote inour elections doesnt mean we are not free from them (even if it isnt yet a full 32 county freedom!), it is our elections in a Republic, seperate from the UK, i see no harm in british residents in the ROI voting here.

It would be a lot easier for a lot of English people to come over here and do the same. David Cameron would be the next Taoiseach.

owenc · 05-08-2010 11:45AM

dlofnep wrote: »

My point still stands.

Sinn Féin received more votes than any other party. It doesn't require people to flock up north in their 1000's to increase their vote. So your fears are irrational.

Idc they still are intitled to do that which i don't like and the people of the republic could secretly get together and come up here do all vote for sin fien you know that and don't say it can't happen because it can.

Kev_ps3 · 05-08-2010 11:45AM

mike65 wrote: »

So taxpayers can **** off?

Of course, if they don't like the country.

Notorious97 · 05-08-2010 11:45AM

pablomakaveli wrote: »

FYP;)

lol yet again another example of editing republicans to suit others haha

pablomakaveli · 05-08-2010 11:45AM

owenc wrote: »

The one that thinks that unionists should be burn't to death and shouldn't be here.

To be honest you sound like you're the other extreme, the one that wants to keep the "taigs" in their place.

Why are Irish people allowed vote in a British election - under Commonwealth Law?

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