captainflack

I can now vote again in the UK!

https://www.theguardian.com/politics...year-rule-ends

I have just done my registration application online, if you want to vote, do this (even if you haven't been out for 15 years) as they purge voters after 3 years now, so you likely are no longer registered

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Dafty

Discuss
Reasons why anyone would want to vote for a government in a country that they don,t live in ?

EU.flag

Patriotism ?
Nationalism ?
Boredom ?

Take your pick.

macliam

Well, on the one hand there are those ex-pats who found themselves disadvantaged by dint of the Brexit referendum, although that might be balanced by those who, whilst residing in the EU, seem to think they are doing it a favour. On the other hand, there are those who support the idea of a Britain that was so good, they decided to leave it yers ago - and will vote for a government that won't generally affect them, but spends money that they don't contribute. Perhaps they would change their minds if the UK taxed them for the privilege of their citizenship, like the USA does.....

PS - I'm an Irish citizen resident in the UK.... I don't vote in Irish elections.

Red Eric

Is it because they may still have strong ties to that country, and therefore personal interests in what the government of that country does and how it could directly affect the wellbeing, finances and future choices available to themselves and their families?

BillBullock

Some of us still pay tax on their pensions to the UK Government and have children living in the UK.

macliam

But if you pay UK tax on a pension, you don't pay it in your "new" country..... no? So, in the end, it's quits....

If your children were to emigrate, would you expect to vote in their new home country?

There's no real reason why someone not living in a counry should be able to impact the election.

calman014

Actually everyone's circumstances are quite different and many still have commitments in UK as well as some income related matters which are affected by government decisions or cock-ups. For some of us the reestablishment of the vote is a useful way to influence those decisions, and for others it makes little difference as Brexit has taken place and the damage has been done to those few privileges we had in the EU as a member.
Some people may even wish to go back to UK eventually.

Whatever, it won't help the current bunch very much I reckon..

BillBullock

I can't agree with you. I am still domiciled in the UK and with an S1, my health expenses are paid by the UK NHS. I still have interests in the UK, including family, and agree with the comments in post 8.

Red Eric

Nobody's going to guilt-trip me into not voting whenever I feel like it, especially as the Tories obviously feel it's to their advantage to include overseas voters beyond 15 years' absence.

I never used, nor had any intention of ever using my vote after moving here. The Brexit shenanigans and subsequent events changed all that. They can have my active disapproval at every election from now on. I only registered to vote in the referendum because I became aware through here of how many eligible voters around the world were going to use their vote in favour of Leave and thought I had to do my bit and cancel one out.

Plus what I and others have already said.

Furthermore, it's nothing to do with unfair expectations. It's to do with a manifesto promise that's been turned into law.

Shanorme

Family living there; money invested there; state pension - these are all reasons to want to vote. Having said that, I'm finding it increasingly hard to be care and I can't see myself registering. I no longer have the first to worry about, the 2nd is being be managed out and the 3rd will likely be negligible.

Finknottle

Vested interests.

No, I would rather pay tax in the country in which I live.

wellinever

Great !!
You can vote, but if in Portugal No Winter Fuel Allowance
But of course if UK resident and spend Dec/Jan/Feb in PT or Spain (Canary Islands nice) or France, then you do get it.....

calman014

Yes, that fuel allowance thing is a total farce...

Midgo

I just re-registered
After a problem with my renewal - It appears the system was using American date formats (they are just weird!) and so I missed the deadline
Yes, things don't always work in the UK
But, this is the kind of service that does not happen here when things do go wrong:

"Good Afternoon Leigh,Thank you for your patience with this matter.

We have looked into the matter and can see that the date on the letter was incorrectly formatted, and your arrangement expired on 2/12/2023.

Due to a change in legislation, you can now reapply through the online portal: Register to vote - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) – when going through the process you can select ‘British citizen living in another country’.

The issue with formatting is being addressed to ensure it does not happen again.

Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask."

My daughter is Portuguese and English (like an Orange is round and, er, orange) and like the large majority of any young Portuguese will not stay here
(30% have already left and I dont even bother any more asking my students if they plan to stay after graduating)
She wants to go to the UK (at least to study)
She will just get into Uni as a home student before the 'transitional' period of English people like her still being Home students until the Brexit (that her Nan voted for, bless her cotton Daily Mail) rules whereby she is a 'Foreign' student (despite having always had a UK citizen passport)
Home fees : Capped at approx 9K
Foreign Fees: Uncapped, 50K where she aims to study and not uncommon
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk...rt-in-england/

Why don't I 'go back home, foreigner'?
Because of my Portuguese wife, daughter and the climate.