Reform UK has set out plans for sweeping changes to electoral law that critics say could prevent large numbers of non‑English speakers from voting. The party’s “Election Integrity Bill”, published this week, calls for measures that would significantly tighten language‑based eligibility requirements.
Nigel Farage’s party has urged the government to adopt the proposals as amendments to legislation currently before Parliament, though ministers are widely expected to reject them.
A central element of the bill is a pledge to bar individuals from voting if their English is deemed insufficient to understand electoral rules. Under the proposals, polling station staff would be instructed to refuse a ballot paper where they have concerns about “their ability to understand the voting process or language”.
Election administrators and legal experts warn that such a system would introduce subjective decision‑making into the voting process, potentially leading to inconsistent judgments and discrimination. They argue that placing responsibility for language assessment on frontline staff risks undermining confidence in the accessibility and fairness of UK elections.
The proposals have prompted renewed debate about the balance between safeguarding electoral integrity and ensuring that all eligible voters, including those who rely on translated information, are able to participate fully in the democratic process.