Today, Monday 18 April, is the final day for registering to vote in the London election on 5 May. This has not escaped the notice of the Federation of Poles in Great Britain, the long-standing representative of the country’s 60-odd Polish member organisations. It has urged Polish citizens living in the capital who have not yet signed up to do so while there’s still time.
While acknowledging that Polish Londoners aren’t allowed to vote in Britain’s EU referendum in June, the organisation’s chair, Tadeusz Stenzel, has encouraged them to “fully exercise their democratic powers as EU citizens” by taking part in the London vote. Polish is the second most common language spoken in the capital. The Federation’s research has indicated that about 100,000 Polish Londoners are currently eligible to help pick the capital’s next mayor and London Assembly members out of a total population of around 185,000.
It’s a significant number. Which way do they lean politically? A BBC report prior to last year’s general election - in which Poles who have secured British citizenship were able to vote - suggested that attitudes to the EU among UK politicians can have a substantial bearing on their political preferences. It seems that many were averse to the anti-EU rhetoric of Ukip leader Nigel Farage and, at that time, of prime minister David Cameron.
The same issue could have a bearing on the forthcoming London vote. Although Cameron is now campaigning to Remain, Conservative mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith wants the UK to leave the EU. By contrast, Labour’s Sadiq Khan, the other frontrunner in the mayoral race, is strongly in favour of staying and says he would he would an even higher-profile campaigner for that cause as mayor. Liberal Democrat candidate Caroline Pidgeon is strongly pro-Europe too, and the Green Party’s Sian Berry also wants to stay in. Peter Whittle of Ukip, of course, takes the opposite view.
Another part of the Polish picture in London is provided by Lewisham-born property developer Prince Zylinski, a fringe mayoral candidate whose father was a Polish war hero. He thinks that none of the main candidates have recognised the contribution Poles have made to London life. Zylinski isn’t keen on Ukip and has called for Farage to be investigated for hate crimes. And yet, like Goldsmith, he’s a Brexit man. I’m told he is in discussions about recommending his supporters to give the Tory their second preference vote, though nothing has yet been decided.
Anyone, Polish or otherwise, who isn’t registered to vote on 5 May can put that right up until 23.59 on the 18 April. Find out how to here.
