Brent home to highest percentage of voters from the EU, stats reveal
About 18 per cent of registered voters in Brent are from the EU. Picture: Christian Wiediger/Unsplash - Credit: Archant
Brent has the highest proportion of registered voters from the European Union out of all the local authorities in England and Wales.
New data released by the Centre for Ageing and Demography at the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows 18.6 per cent of people registered to vote in assembly, local government and European parliamentary elections in Brent are members of the EU.
Out of 230,360 people, 42,795 hail from the single market.
Brent is closely followed by Newham, in which 17.4pc of registered voters are from the EU, and Kensington and Chelsea, with 17.3pc.
Councils with the lowest percentage are Redcar and Cleveland, Copeland, South Staffordshire and the Isle of Anglesey, all with 0.5pc.
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The numbers exclude those from Ireland, Cyprus and Malta, because they are eligible to vote under Commonwealth rules.
Cllr Tom Miller, cabinet member for community safety and engagement at Brent Council, said: “Brent is the home of the largest number of EU nationals in London, and as a proudly diverse borough, we want to make sure that everybody who currently lives, works or studies here has the security of knowing they have the right to remain.
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“That’s why we have worked hard to support as many EU nationals as possible to apply for settled status through the EU settlement scheme, and Brent has the second highest number of settlement scheme registrations in the country.”
He said Brent published a Brexit Plan last year, setting out the risks posed by exiting the trading bloc and the authority’s support for new and emerging groups in the borough.
“Regardless of Brexit, we continue to embrace all Europeans that have made Brent their home as our friends and neighbours.”
In the Brexit referendum of 2016, 60pc of Brent’s residents voted to remain in the European Union.
Although the UK formally left the EU on January 31, a transition period has seen no change to the rules on trade, travel and business.
This will be in place until January 1, 2021, while arrangements are negotiated and finalised on top of the prime minister’s controversial Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which was passed in January this year.
