A story which went rather unnoticed because of the Covid crisis was the plans by the British government to give expat Britons the vote in UK elections for life. I sincerely thought that the issue had been quietly forgotten especially as it could prove quite unpopular in Britain. The Conservatives have been talking “expat voting” for many years.
Their critics will say that it is just a plot to increase their share of the vote because there is a perception that most expat Britons will vote Conservative. As we know this is far from the case. I do believe that expat Britons deserve the vote in general elections because they are directly affected by decisions taken by the British parliament.
It was outrageous that expat Britons were snubbed in the Brexit and Scottish independence referendums. So far the people most affected by Brexit have been expat Britons! The British government will be swimming against the tide of public opinion in Britain if expats get the vote. There is a general consensus of opinion that as soon as you leave Dover you soon lose some of your rights.
“Why should British people who are sitting in the sun swigging gin and tonics get the vote in British elections” is what some people living in Britain will say. I think that expats deserve the vote and what is more I think that there should be a junior minister in charge of expats.
The French have a similar system. Just because we live outside the United Kingdom we shouldn’t lose our rights.