Brexit has affected millions who had no vote in the 2016 referendum – we need to change our democratic system now

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

The outcome of the next few weeks in politics could determine the course of our lives for decades to come. But many of the people who are most affected by the current situation – migrants living in the UK, and UK citizens living abroad – have never been offered the chance to have a stake in our democracy.

In general elections and in referendums such as the 2016 EU referendum, UK residents from countries outside of the Commonwealth and Ireland cannot vote. Neither can most UK citizens living abroad.

Whatever our views on Brexit and party politics, we are united in the belief that it is fundamentally wrong that so many millions of people whose lives will be deeply affected by developments at Westminster are currently denied a vote.

We call on MPs to support the right of all UK residents, and of all UK citizens living abroad, to vote in future general elections and referendums.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP
Clive Lewis MP
David Lammy MP
Layla Moran MP
Stephen Doughty MP
Mike Leigh, film director
Ahdaf Soueif, writer
Satbir Singh, CEO, Joint Committee for the Welfare of Immigrants
Satbir Singh, CEO, Migrants Rights Network
Nick Dearden, director, Global Justice Now
Katia Widlak, the3million
Alena Ivanova, Another Europe is Possible
Jane Golding, British in Europe
Paul Mackney, former general secretary of the UCU​
Martin Rees
Lord Navnit Dholakia​
Baroness Harris of Richmond
Lord Jones of Cheltenham
Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury
Lord Rooker​
John Sandwich, the Earl of Sandwich
Lord Steel of Aikwood​
Baroness Walmsley​
Lord Andrew Stunell

Why can’t people my age let go of Brexit?

I have lived in France for more than 60 years, but, being born English, still follow British affairs. Now, according to the results of the referendum, 73 per cent of younger people voted to remain in Europe, but the old fogies wanted out.

As I shall be 90 next month I suppose I’m to be classed among the old fogies, but though I’m not a great brain (I was only a professor at The Faculty, and in the 1970s a book of mine, The Language of Politics, was published in France.), I’m not completely stupid, nor am I selfish.

That referendum was not about Britain today, but Britain in the future. And the future is for the young. The oldies must learn that the England of today is not the England of the empire, which they remember, as I do.

We paraded in our scout uniforms on Empire Day and were proud to be English. There is no reason not to be proud of being English, but the Britain of yesterday is just that – “of yesterday”.

Wake up! Think of your children. The future is union, never mind what you may think, that is only your opinion and not a fact.

In 1945, in a speech in Strasbourg, Winston Churchill spoke of a “United States of Europe”. If it was good enough for Winnie, it’s good enough for me.

Peter Stap
Gerardmer, France

MPs clearly don’t have a clue

It is deeply comforting to know, while watching, listening to and reading news and comment, that we have so many experts on the subject of Brexit; it is a shame that we have none in government.

Matt Minshall
Norfolk

Jeremy Corbyn’s intelligence

I take exception to the language of Rev Dr John Cameron in his letter of 3 April, in particular this: “The honourable member for Islington North isn’t the sharpest knife in the canteen”. Not only is the word “knife” inflammatory in these dangerous times, but the denigration of the intellect of Jeremy Corbyn from a PhD man of the church is churlish and ignorant.

Carol Wilcox
Christchurch, Dorset

Political buzzwords

It is always fun to see how long it takes to spot what the Conservative soundbite of the day or week is, that they have obviously instructed every spokesperson to repeat as many times as possible in every media contact. This week’s appears to be attaching the word “Marxist” to every reference to Jeremy Corbyn.

The Labour one today appears to be “Five minutes to midnight”.

Debbie Stamper
Epsom

What’s happened to the Word Scrambler?

Never mind Brexit, the issue of the day is the daily Word Scrambler.

What have you done?

What was a pleasant coffee time puzzle is now an ordeal.

As with Brexit, not all change is good.

Alan Worthington
Address supplied