Dear Sir,
“Overseas Voting Rights”
You will recall that the Association “Europeos por Espana” organized a meeting here in Palma in July of this year with British Euro-MP, Robert Sturdy. Among the many subjects discussed were the residency card, the right to vote here in Spain, and the 15-year rule for ex-pats voting in Britain, including the hugely important Referendum. You referred to this “possibility” in your Editorial earlier this week.
As agreed, Robert Sturdy took the on-going concerns regarding voting to the British Parliament, in particular the Minister for State and the Constitution, Rt Hon Greg Clark MP. Robert has just forwarded to me the official reply from the Minister, which affects all British citizens living abroad, whether in the E.U. or elsewhere in the world. The letter states “The Government will keep the 15 year time limit under consideration, but is not minded to change the law at the present time”. The letter goes on to confirm that “the European Union (Referendum) Bill...........would exclude those British citizens overseas whose time limit on their voting rights has lapsed”.
I hope that this clarifies the matter on the current situation for British ex-pats here being able to participate in the proposed 2017 Referendum on Britain’s European membership.
Kate Mentink,
President, “Europeos por Espana”
Dear Sir,
Thank you Mr Moore for your Viewpoint and Mr Mulligan for your letter in Fridays Daily Bulletin re the Winter Fuel Allowance.
I urge all British expats to write to their Conservative MPs back in the UK with their concerns.
I shall certainly be writing to mine in the area I came from. I also urge the Conservatives Abroad Group beside working to get us to cast our vote to also fight our corner for our due rights as we pensioners paid into the system all our working lives. Why should we be treated any differently?
I know our cold period is not as long as in the UK but we certainly have to pay at lot more for heating costs.
David Earnshaw
Porto Cristo