dougal03

Unfortunately I am no longer in Spain.But in the UK we have the upcoming elections &,hurrah,I now can have a vote again after being denied this in the Brexit referendum whilst resident in an EU country.As you must all be aware,Scotland,which is where I am now resident,are considering holding an Independence referendum if a majority of interested parties for this gain sufficient combined approval.So I have been doing the rounds asking for views on policies by the various candidates in my area which happens to be,against the odds in this part of the UK,a Tory stronghold.This will not be the usual choice I believe which normally would concentrate on mostly local issues when deciding who to pick,So I asked my local man what is his view on ex-pats living abroad for the 15year limit having been barred in such a crucial vote & if he would toe the Tory party line in barring the Scots from holding a referendum on their independence from the rest of the UK.He passed me over to a more senior member of his party who failed to answer my question regarding Scottish Independence but gave me this piece of information.Of course,he agreed that we SHOULD have been allowed to have a voice in the Brexit vote(bit too late now !)& despite Mrs.May´s Govn.who held the tenure at that later time intending to redress the situation after a petition was raised, ,there was no time before the election which brought Boris to power,to debate this.However,later this year(a bit vague)legislation will be laid before Parliament to bring about the reform which would give UK ex-pats."votes for life".Don´t hold your breath,though,folks.

Notdunroamin

Would that be the same breath you shouldn't hold for Scottish independence happening?

Boseley

I voted in Spanish national and local elections, European elections, U.K. National elections, the 2016 referendum.

I doubt if I will be able to vote in any more U.K. elections under the present system, and will decline any future arrangements

Fredbargate

I believe any country whose residents vote freely for independence should have it.

However those who freely leave a country should forfeit their rights to vote

scrubbedexpat142

Even if they are committed to paying UK taxes?

No taxation without representation!

Chipmonk

I do agree. If you have opted to live in another country then you shouldn't really need to vote for the affairs of that country unless you return. Unfortunately living in another country doesn't equate to being a national so you wont have a right to immediately participate for 10 years ( then apply for citizenship) in your new country. Mind you you probably need need 10 years to integrate sufficiently to have an informed opinion about your adopted country

cermignano

I thought that if you were resident in Spain you paid into the Spanish Tax treasury on all worldwide assets?

scrubbedexpat142

Unfortunately, until able to obtain the new citizenship, in my case, after 8 years with 2 years to go, I am still subject to the will & whims of the UK Government, as Brexit showed, so I think one should retain that right to vote, at least for that interim period. As a UK tax payer (whether I like it or not) then I believe that right should continue.

Chipmonk

Not sure what your point is?

Fred James

Not necessarily. Most Crown pensions are only taxed in the UK, so there is a significant number of people who pay UK tax but are disenfranchised by the 15 year rule.

Boseley

Even if they pay tax in the said country?

"No representation, no taxation," I pay tax in the U.K. and Spain.

dougal03

It´s not only about financial affairs.I am English by birth but my spouse was Scottish & we moved quite a bit between countries.My grandchildren are Scottish,Welsh & Spanish & I want them to have a good quality of life as possible.Most of them are too young to have a vote yet.My Spanish granddaughter,still a Spanish National lives & works in England & I am particularly concerned,post Brexit,that she gets the same opportunity in a foreign country as I had coming to Spain & working.And that without having to give up being Spanish.I know that young British people will now have far less chance to explore life in many other countries,even within our Commonwealth.When I was operating a business in Spain there were many times,as with other British owners,we had people seeking a job with us.I wonder if foreign businesses will look as kindly on these youngsters from now on especially with our lack of language skills.Since 1984 when we arrived in Spain I have always been interested in what was happening in my birth country,can´t imagine anyone who wouldn´t & met so many who,like myself,thought we had settled for the rest of our life, but circumstances change. Always used my vote,by proxy when necessary.Why does Britain allow dual nationality ,a benign regulation if you bar your Nationals a vote for living abroad ?Back here it seems that more than half of Scots have a holiday home in Spain,was even stopped in the street by a man who was carrying a Mercadona shopping bag like I was!They are worried that those homes may be difficult to keep or even inherit. now I am in favour of the Scots being allowed to hold an independence referendum.I think they have had an uneasy relationship with England for many many decades,certainly not much has changed,I feel,since I lived /worked here in the 60´s .in that respect.Again,how can a country want to "take back control" from a group of others when they refuse one of THEIR group to vote on the same situation.If this happens,as with the Brexit referendum,I do think that Scottish Nationals where ever they reside & for what period of time,should have a say too .Otherwise you most probably would have changed your nationality,after all there are plenty of countries making that offer if you live there.

bobd22

I Totally agree.

Notdunroamin

"I am in favour of the Scots being allowed to hold an independence referendum"

They already did and the vote was 'no thank you'.

VEDShappy

If a democracy cannot change it's mind it ceases to be a democracy.