P Y Gerbeau Wants To Become Prime Minister

[Lord Bracknell]

Was about the post the "You have to be British or Irish" thing - part of a reciprocal vote-swap agreement between the UK and Ireland - UK citizens can vote in Ireland as they can in the UK - council, european and general elections but not referendums and presidental elections, and vice versa.

It is the Ireland Act (1949) that lays down that citizens of the Republic of Ireland are not to be treated as aliens in the UK. Citizens of the Irish Free State (and citizens of British Crown Territories) were given the vote in the UK by virtue of the Representation of the People Act (1918).

The Republic of Ireland Act, passed by the Irish parliament in 1948, offers the same arrangement for British citizens living in Ireland. However, it is only since 1985 that this has been interpreted as giving British citizens a vote in Irish parliamentary elections.

And if you can vote in an election, you can stand in it (in Ireland at least).

Maybe in Ireland, but not in the UK. You can vote in the UK if you are 18 years old. You have to be 21 to stand as a candidate in a UK parliamentary election.

The CHANCELLOR must be Church of England, as must the monarch.

That's the Lord Chancellor, not the Chancellor of the Exchequer. And it's not a requirement to be CofE, its a prohibition on being Catholic. It also applies to people who want to hang on to their position in line to the throne. My papist origins (which I owe to that part of my ancestry that is Irish) exclude me from ever being King, you'll be pleased to know.

 

[Cian]

OK, I heard "Chancellor" and forgot that theirs two posts with the same title, then assumed it had to be CofE.

As goes the 21 thing, d'oh, forgot the 21 restriction is here too. And 35 for being president.

I also was not clear on the when and the where of the agreement as goes voting, I just knew it was reciprocated - we've definately had UK citizen TD's here, although maybe not recently.

 

[BUTTERBALL]

I can't imagine he is serious about being Prime Minister - probaby a lighthearted comment.