Posted in the Europe forum by Buckinghamshire Boy, but equally applicable to us in Canada:

Originally Posted by BiE
As reported on the BiE website and our social media, we secured funding in November 2022 from the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust for a 12-month secondary legislation advocacy project in relation to overseas provisions of the Elections Act passed by the UK Parliament in April 2022. While the primary legislation, the Elections Act 2022, is in place to remove the 15-year rule and give us lifelong votes, it still has to be implemented to take effect and work in practice. Our aim is to ensure the timely and effective implementation so that overseas voters can reclaim their vote in time for the next election - and critically, so that they can use it effectively when they do, given the myriad problems faced by overseas voters in the past.

They now have a survey on overseas voting on their website:

https://www.britishineurope.org/page...iming-our-vote

It's not appropriate, is it, to vote 15 years after abandoning one's country?

As a block, the British who have been abroad for that long are going to vote against the interests of the population of the UK. They're going to vote, for example, for indexed linked pensions for people in Canada, causing the UK taxpayers to suffer the cost. If the numbers are there to show that there are enough former Britons to have stopped Brexit then there would be some merit to the idea but that ship has sailed, the UK economy is sinking now and it doesn't need cash grabs from people who have elected not to contribute to the country. The vote should be for people who participate in UK life, not for wrinkled spectators in the former colonies.

Of course, I'd put scruples aside and vote against Thatcher but she's dead now and the subsequent embodiments of her evil legacy don't carry the same emotional charge for me.

Completely agree. And there is the other thorny issue of where an expat's vote is counted... unless there were a single constituency for permanent expats where all those votes were counted. We could call it Quislington.

And those who continue to pay UK taxes?

Besides postal voters are unlikely to receive their ballot papers in time so I wouldn't worry too much.

I agree which is why I was very surprised to hear that you had bought the "missed" years of your UK pension contributions

As I mature ( I refuse to use the term getting older ) and having lived in the UK and Canada and of course the US having a big influence over Canada I have come to the conclusion that all Political parties regardless of which ones they are have individuals who are shisters, crooks, liars and generally distasteful individuals. Yes there are the odd ones who are genuine but most will back down when whipped to vote for the party rather than the constituents they actually represent.

I have no wish to vote in any upcoming UK election as I left 35 years ago and like others feel that because I don't continue to contribute to the UK then I should not be voting. Yes there are those who pay NI while abroad and take up lucrative jobs overseas with the possible intention of returning to the UK but as another poster mentioned should that be construed as abandoning the UK? They left for whatever reason and if not contributing then why should they benefit?

Seriously I have got to that stage where I don't care about what they promise as promises are easily broken and it is not just the UK who are guilty of this.

I have to say that I thoroughly agree with you on this topic

I read about the British political situation, and I use the word "British" deliberately, with dismay but do not see that I have any right to vote in any English election having left the UK in August 1967, that is almost 56 years ago.

I do have a right and necessity to vote in Canadian elections, whether that be federally, provincially or municipal, as this is where I can make my small impact.

I've been in Canada for 21 years. Since I left the UK (I have dual citizenship), I have never voted in a UK election as I considered it extremely hypocritical to cast a vote in an election which would never affect my situation. I don't believe any UK citizen who is not resident in the UK for tax purposes should vote.

I don't believe any UK citizen who is not resident in the UK for tax purposes should vote.

But you accept that those who are should...

I have noted this day. In years to come I shall look back on this as the Moment Of Agreement.

A Memorandum of Understanding

I guess it is rather noteworthy

I'd still vote against her completely and utterly .

I'd like to be able to vote in the UK elections if I chose to. That is because I would like to return to the UK. I am still invested in its well-being or , at least, my opinion and pov of its well-being.

Hi
​​​​​​
I think If you pay taxes to a country you should be able to vote there

unless, you claim a credit on the taxes paid in another country

cheers
jeremy

Update regarding the votes for life legislation from remaininspain.comProgress has now been made regarding the secondary legislation required to further the restoration of our overseas voting rights.

On 23 October, the (UK) government published the Statutory Instrument on overseas voting regulations. These now require the approval of parliament before being signed into law, and will be considered by both House of Commons and House of Lords committees. The process usually takes no more than 8 weeks, so is expected to be finalised by early January 2024.

The next step will then be registration for disenfranchised overseas voters, likely to start before the end of January, as scheduled.