Disclaimer: I'm not a British citizen, just an expat of another country. The difference between a citizen and a resident is that a citizen has made a long term

Disclaimer: I'm not a British citizen, just an expat of another country. The difference between a citizen and a resident is that a citizen has made a long term commitment to the country. A citizen has decided that they want to be a part of the country, with all of the privileges and responsibilities that entails. Take a spectrum of immigration statii: - Temporary resident working on a visa or similar. - Long term resident working with indefinite leave to stay or permanent residence. - Citizen Now imagine what would happen if they can vote: - Temporary resident: Doesn't necessarily care about long term effects of their vote on the country. Could vote for short term changes that benefit them then leave. Isn't integrated with the culture and could cause discontent. - Long term resident: Hasn't committed to a long term relationship with the country so is essentially the same as a temporary resident. Has the option to become a citizen __and has chosen not to__. Why shouldn't you agree to commit to the country long term if you want the privilege of affecting it long term?