Author Archives: O Hudson

Opinion: Why should someone from Maputo get to vote in the EU referendum when someone from Mons doesn’t?

By O Hudson | Mon 25th May 2015 - 3:00 pm

When we vote in the referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, it is important to understand that we will deciding on our citizenship. Currently, all holders of full UK passports are legally defined as EU citizens and if we leave, we will collectively be renouncing this citizenship and many of the associated rights, even if we manage to negotiate a Norway-style relationship within the wider European Economic Area.

The government’s decision on who will have the franchise in the referendum should be viewed in this context.

All Irish and Commonwealth nationals living legally in the UK will get a vote. The Guardian tells us there are 3.4 million people from 47 countries in this category which is certainly enough to influence the result. They include EU nationals from Cyprus and Malta by virtue of their countries’ Commonwealth membership.

Posted in News | Tagged eu and eu referendum | 54 Comments

Opinion: Make no apologies for religion on equal marriage

By O Hudson | Thu 13th December 2012 - 2:18 pm

If there’s one thing that really irks me about the Tory leadership’s rightful defence of equal marriage, it is this constant, almost apologetic necessity to seek to justify the position by reminding everyone that ‘religious freedoms’ will in no way be encroached upon by this piece of legislation. In his albeit heartfelt endorsement of allowing gay people to enter into “a great institution”, David Cameron was at pains to remind us that any religious groups who oppose the reform will not be forced to hold same-sex marriages.

In a country where the church-going population barely exceeds 10%, it is a …