Prathesh Panjak, who is voting in a British election for the first time, along with other immigrant voters, is eager to cast a ballot on July 4 in the hopes of bringing about change in the nation they have chosen to call home.
It is largely anticipated that the opposition Labour Party would triumph handily, unseating the 14-year-old Conservative Party of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
British elections are open to refugees and immigrants from Commonwealth nations, mostly former British Empire possessions like Nigeria, India, and Malaysia.
After missed the election in his home India, 27-year-old Panjak said he was eager to cast his ballot upon arriving in Britain in February of last year.
“People from other nations are not allowed to vote in my country… Although I came here on a student visa, they are treating us like citizens of the United Kingdom “Panjak, who works as an ambassador part-time at his institution in Manchester, northwest England, said.
A 33-year-old Malaysian student from Salford, near Manchester, named Teh Wen Sun said she was eager to vote for a party that is more welcoming to immigrants, but she did not perceive many differences between the two major parties.
In Britain, immigration is a key political issue. If the Conservatives win, Sunak has pledged to reduce net migration, which many British people fear is too high and puts undue strain on the government-run National Health Service, housing, and education.
Since then, Sunak has tightened visa requirements and gained notoriety abroad for his policy of sending asylum applicants to Rwanda.
Oyinkansola Dirisu, 31, a Manchester-born support worker who immigrated to the UK in 2022, expressed excitement about voting for Labour and her desire for the next government to facilitate immigration for individuals similar to herself.
Some remain unsure, such as 26-year-old Nigerian immigrant Esther Offem, who moved here in September: “None (of the parties) have done much in the areas that I’m most interested in.” However, for now, I think I would support the Conservatives. I’m not certain just yet.”
