I am delighted to set the record straight (letters 13 Dec) about the debate in Colchester City Council’s December meeting. A motion proposed by Green and Labour councillors wanted to allow people of any nationality to vote in local elections, even if they had only arrived the previous week.
I spoke as someone who has myself been a long-term resident of two countries in Asia. When I lived in Pakistan, I learned the language, wore local clothes, ate local food – and I hope as an aid worker contributed much to the local community. However, it would have been completely inappropriate for me to demand the “right” to vote. I was a guest in their country and knew that at some point I would return to the UK.
The reason all Conservative councillors voted against this motion was that it sought to remove the distinction between being a British citizen and being a temporary resident. Being a citizen is about identity and which country your ultimate loyalty is to. It carries both rights, such as voting, and responsibilities. Those responsibilities can include being required to fight for your country in time of war – as our friends in Ukraine are sadly now only too well aware.  
There is a well-established pathway to citizenship for those born overseas who make this country their permanent home.  It involves several years’ UK residency and taking the UK citizenship test to ensure they understand our historic British values. Essex County Council then hosts a wonderful ceremony where new British citizens swear an oath of loyalty and are awarded a certificate of citizenship.
I would gently challenge those demanding the “right” to vote or become a local councillor, ‘why are you not prepared to give that commitment of loyalty to the UK?’
Dr Martin Parsons
Colchester City Councillor for Mersea and Pyefleet (Cons)

The County Standard is absolutely right – we do have a crisis on Mersea, with some people unable to register with a GP. This is due to the island’s only surgery stating they do not feel they can safely take on any new patients due to the increase in patients already resulting from recent housing developments on the island.
However, there is a lot of hard work which has been going on behind the scenes to try to find a solution to this. Sir Bernard Jenkin MP has long been in discussions with the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board who are responsible for local primary health care, to try to get then to resolve this, as well as meeting with the GPs themselves.
While in October, as local councillors we wrote to the Heath Secretary, Wes Streeting explaining the situation on Mersea and asking him both to urgently address the issue and also to meet with Angela Rayner, the Housing Secretary asking her to exempt areas without GP access from the government’s new house building targets. Whilst we have yet to receive a reply, Sir Bernard Jenkin MP is seeking to ensure we get one!
The 1944 NHS White Paper produced by Churchill’s wartime government, which became the blueprint for the creation of the NHS, set out a basic principle of everyone having free access to GPs at the point of need. That is now no longer available to everyone on Mersea. That is why, as Mersea councillors we have written to the Health Secretary, asking him to intervene.
Councillor Robert Davidson
Councillor Martin Parsons
Councillor Carl Powling
County Councillor John Jowers