Allister blasts republicanisation of electoral law
24 July 2009
TUV Leader Jim Allister has attacked a proposed change in Northern Ireland’s electoral law as “another sop to republicanism.”
Currently, under the Representation of the People Act 1985, the rules governing when a person is eligible to be registered and vote at a UK election, whilst living abroad, require a declaration by the applicant that he/she is a British citizen. This is the law for every part of the UK. Now, in deference to the Belfast Agreement’s recognition of alternative citizenship, the NIO is proposing to change this requirement*, but only in respect of Northern Ireland. It is also proposed to change the 2008 Election Regulations so that, for example, those attesting an application from an overseas voter need no longer be a British passport holder.
In a statement Jim Allister said:-
“As those who always opposed the Belfast Agreement warned, it is a charter to progressively disconnect Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK in a process of constant greening of Ulster. Now, on foot of its abhorrent equalisation of British and Irish citizenship, our electoral laws are to be sanitised of their “Britishness” and fundamental change made to our Representation of the People Act.
If someone wants to vote in a British election, whether here or in any other part of the UK, then why should they not have to declare themselves as British citizens, just as someone from the Republic, wanting to vote there, must declare themselves “Irish”? Yet, now, only in Northern Ireland, out of all of the UK, will a claim to citizenship of another country suffice.
This proposal is but the latest manifestation of the move to dual citizenship in Northern Ireland which flows from the Belfast Agreement. Sadly, many who 10 years ago were vehement opponents of this wretched Agreement are now implementing it day and daily at Stormont.”
* NIO Consultation Paper, “Improving Electoral Registration Procedures in Northern Ireland” July 2009
