If you have lived outside the UK for 15 years or more, you can’t vote in UK elections – this appears about to change.

The Minister for the Constitution, Chris Skidmore announced as much – by the way; how long has there been such a ministry?

Expat Brits living in Spain, for example find that they have fallen into the oblivion in an electoral sense as they can no longer take part in the UK General Elections and are not eligible for voting in the Spanish General or Regional elections.

Mr Skidmore explained:

“This [policy] statement shows how we will introduce ‘votes for life,’ scrapping the 15-year rule.

British citizens who move abroad remain a part of our democracy and it is important they have the ability to participate.

Following the British people’s decision to leave the EU, we now need to strengthen ties with countries around the world and show the UK is an outward-facing nation.”

You can read the full police statement by clicking on this link. If you would prefer to just download the 441KB document, just click on the attachment below.

overseas_electors_policy_statement

Interestingly, according to the IPPR Global Brit 2010 two thirds of Brit expats live outside the EU.

Oh and thanks to Marie Claire Richardson for the heads up!

Editorial comment: One wonders whether the present UK Government would be contemplating calling in long-ignored ‘voter reinforcements,’ had the Brexit referendum returned a NO.

Should a person who no longer lives in his home country be able to decide on the fate of those that do? After all, Spanish expats living abroad can vote in their General Elections.

Personally I don’t think that you should be able to.

Why? It was bad enough during the referendum with the UK pensioner generation deciding on how the rest of their countrymen in the UK were going to live in relation to Europe, when they clearly wouldn’t be around to live with the consequences of their decision – it simply wasn’t their call.

(News: Voting Rights)