’Grant immigrants the right to vote’, say researchers

National election results in the UK could look vastly different if all immigrants had the right to vote, which they should, according to new research. The researchers, from the School of Geographical Sciences at the University of Bristol, found that if all of England and Wales' estimated 2.3 million adult immigrants had been able to vote in the 2015 general election, up to 95 parliamentary seats could have been won by a different party. They argue that all 'legally resident aliens' (i.e. immigrants) who contribute to the UK economy and are directly affected by the decisions of the UK government ought to have the right to vote. Under the current status quo, some immigrants can vote in UK national elections but others cannot. Dr Sean Fox , lead author of the study, said: "This inequality of access to political voice is inconsistent with the core principle of equality that underpins democracy, as is restricting the right of any legal resident alien to vote in UK general elections." The authors argue that the right to vote in UK national elections should be extended all to adults with a proven residence and legal presence in the United Kingdom as well as any adult UK citizen living abroad with a proven and direct material interest in the UK. Co-author Professor Ron Johnston said: "Anybody meeting either of these criterion has a clear stake in decisions made by the UK government, and is subject to the coercive authority of the state.