Labor plans to give EU citizens and 16-17 year olds the right to vote in general elections

Millions of EU nationals could be granted the right to vote in the UK general election under the Labor Party, along with 1.4 million young people of 16 and 17 in a major boost to the size of the electorate

Labor leader Keir Starmer plans to upend voting rules (

Image: PA)

EU nationals living in Britain could vote in the general election under plans drawn up by Labor.

Keir Starmer is reportedly launching a "package of proposals" to shake up voting rules, including allowing settled migrants and 16- and 17-year-olds to participate in general elections.

EU citizens who live permanently in the UK and pay tax would be covered by the plan, which could affect around 3.4 million people who had 'settled status' in December 2022.< /p>

Another 2.7 million people have 'pre-settled status', which allows them to work and live in the UK, but this expires after five years if they have not applied for status complete establishment.

It could also include some 1.4 million 16- and 17-year-olds, increasing the size of the electorate by more than 8%, according to the Telegraph.

EU citizens are allowed to vote in local elections, but not in general elections (

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Coventry Live/Tristan Potter)

Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said proposals to extend voting rights are "something we're going to look at".

"I think there's a case for expanding the franchise," he told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday.

"I think we should always seek to involve as many people as possible in our democracy. That's something we're going to look at."

Pollster Professor Sir John Curtice said the idea would benefit Labor as Europeans and young people were more likely to support the party.

“The presumption we all have, rightly or wrongly, is that they are more likely to be opposed to