A Bill to restore voting rights to all British expatriates before next year’s general election was given permission by British Members of Parliament to move to the next stage of the process.
Although a date was set for the second reading of the Bill, on 6 March, it is thought unlikely that it will be successfully passed into law due to the slim window of time before Parliament is dissolved ahead of the general election in May.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, a Conservative MP who holidays in Majorca every year, raised the matter in the Commons today, urging MPs from all parties to support his efforts to get the current ‘15-year rule’ abolished as soon as possible.
The rule blocks Britons overseas from voting in UK elections if they have been out of the country for longer than 15 years.
Moves to give British expats vote for life