Mac's Poll - Let's Vote

Curious to know what the general opinion is? Cast your vote and let's see!!

POLL: Should the 15-year voting rule for UK expats be abolished?
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 @ 1:47 PM

If you're a British expat who has lived outside the UK for at least 15 years, then current legislation denies you the ability to vote in parliamentary elections and referendums.

It's a policy that, suffice to say, has become very controversial given recent events. Long-term expats already feel that their fate was taken out of their hands when they were denied a vote in the EU referendum and this year's General Election, which was an election largely based around Brexit.

The 15-year rule comes from the idea that after someone has lived away from their home country for a long period of time, they lose their connection to it, but this isn't necessarily true. Moving abroad doesn't mean all ties to the home country are cut, and changes in policies may still directly affect an expat's life no matter how long they have been abroad.

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16 Comments

marcbernard said:
Wednesday, December 19, 2018 @ 3:04 PM

I left the UK in 1996 so have had no vote since the 15 year rule applied. But I continue to pay UK tax on my Civil Service pension, so have no representation despite paying taxation. But those having no contribution to pay to the UK economy have little or no right to a voice, in my view. It is possible of course that those entitled to and receiving the UK state pension should however also retain the right to vote, despite a nil UK tax situation, since government action affects their income.

windtalker said:
Thursday, December 20, 2018 @ 9:01 AM

If you earned money in Tim buck too ..you would have to pay Tax on it ..paying tax in any country does not give you voting rights... I pay tax in Spain and that does not give me voting rights...Any one that has not live in the UK from 1996 ( or fifteen years ) should have no voting rights in the UK ...surely these people pay tax and so forth in the country that they chosen emigrate to have voting rights within that country after a period of time ...if this is so why would it be your right to have two vote in the so called EU and everyone else can only have one ...if it bothers you that much on how the UK runs it's affairs you should move back to the UK and get you voting right reinstated.

marcbernard said:
Thursday, December 20, 2018 @ 2:35 PM

Windtalker
You are as usual adrift from reality. Woolly thinking is part of your make-up, clearly.
There is a well known claim across the world that there should be "no taxation without representation". The reverse is also true.
Neither do you understand that retired civil servants, and others who worked in like groupings, are legally bound to submit their CS etc pension to UK tax unless they are a National of the resident non-UK country. I happen to agree that those with no pecuniary links with the UK should not get a vote, but taking the two points above, my case is sound.
I have no knowledge of your friend "Tim buck too". Or do you mean Timbuktu?

windtalker said:
Thursday, December 20, 2018 @ 6:39 PM

What ever mcbernard... if it bothers you that much about not being able to vote in the UK ..then the answer is quite simple move back to the UK and get your voting rights back.. only then will you be able to comment on matter's that concerns the running of the UK... things like having to wait 3 weeks for a doctor's appointment/ lack of housing/overloading of public services/EU criminal gangs/people smugglers/slavery... things you never heard of back in 1996 when you left the UK.. the list goes on and on ...the majority of people that live in the UK can see this ...so for someone like you that no longer lives in the UK so basically knows nothing of How the UK goes about it daily business to demand a vote is stupid just because you pay tax as you should on money earned in the UK albeit from your gold plated UK government pension.

windtalker said:
Friday, December 21, 2018 @ 1:01 PM

And just to top it of all British citizens living in Spain will loose voting rights in Spain.. From the 29 March 2019 with or without a Brexit deal.

marcbernard said:
Friday, December 21, 2018 @ 1:29 PM

Posting your comments three times does not make it valid.
Your most recent item is of doubtful veracity, since I do not believe you have the latest update. Spain and UK are busy signing agreements for local elections (as current) to be retained on both sides.

Andalusguy said:
Saturday, December 22, 2018 @ 9:20 AM

Yes you should lose your right to vote. The fact that you pay income tax is not singularly a valid reason to retain this privilege. Why should you have a say in how the majority of national decisions are made when you no longer live in that country and therefore have no direct daily impact upon you? 15 years is very generous given that most so called ex-pats come to Spain as retirees and may not survive much beyond that period, before returning back to the UK to finish off their lives. Get over it or go home, the answer is that simple really.

Peter Faulkner said:
Saturday, December 22, 2018 @ 9:23 AM

If someone has been living elsewhere for 15 years is it fair that they should have a vote in a constituency that they don't live in? I would rather if there is to be a vote for expats then there should be a specific seat for them to vote in. If that were the case then expats would at least have their own MP in parliament who could speak up for all expats.

I would be in favour of this.

Charlietwice said:
Saturday, December 22, 2018 @ 10:38 AM

While you are still a UK citizen you should vote, especially if you pay taxes there.

pjck said:
Saturday, December 22, 2018 @ 12:42 PM

Macbernard there are a lot of British citizens in the UK who do not contribute to the UK economy - and they have voting rights.

So it is clearly not about contributtion - unfortunately or fortunately, for others.

Windtalker - EU criminal gangs and non-EU criminal gangs and even more British gangs.
Those first ones are over represented in tabloids while non-EU (or Brirtish in second generation) rather covered and if sentenced then rather for a joke.

Rod Jones said:
Saturday, December 22, 2018 @ 3:03 PM

We can't vote in Spanish elections or referenda, so if we lose the right to vote in the UK, we no longer have democratic rights anywhere.

Generally, when we choose to remain British citizens, we do so because we have interests there; family, friends, pensions, investments, etc. but ultimately (as has been demonstrated by the uncertainty of the impact of Brexit), we have a government who makes decisions that could undermine our reasons for living abroad.

It stands to reason that as British citizens, we should be allowed to vote on British affairs.

Dave11 said:
Saturday, December 22, 2018 @ 3:25 PM

My take on it is :- If you want to live in another country - great, nice that you can have that option and even if you still pay tax in your original country you have decided to move away so I don't see how you should still have a vote. I live outside the UK and to be honest I would not wish to give my vote to any of the current corrupt political party's who are only in politics to serve themselves - they do not care about the British public or how they screw the UK. They are just in it for themselves and no one else. And if you don't see/understand that not much else to say other than - good luck, you will need it!!!!

Alan Rayner said:
Sunday, December 23, 2018 @ 12:49 PM

Recently I was sent a form asking whether I wished
to register to vote in May 2019 local elections on
El Hierro (where I have empadronamiento). This
form stated that any registration would be revoked
if the UK actually leaves EU at 30th March.

If ex-pats lose the right to vote in Spain as well as
in UK, they will no longer have democratic rights anywhere.

Personally I have preserved my rights by gaining
citizenship of the Republic of Ireland but most
expats will not be eligible for that route. However
I will still need an International Driving Permit to
supplement my UK driving licence - as will all the
expats in Spain wishing to continue to drive on
basis of UK licence.

Evelyn said:
Saturday, October 12, 2019 @ 1:49 PM

As a UK resident in another EU country, I do not think that I, or other long term residents in other EU countries, should have a vote on internal UK matters (General & Local elections, EU Parliament MPs representing the UK ... we elect MEP from our country of residence) -

But in any referendum that impacts on rights of UK citizens across Europe, I do think I should have the right to a voice.