So Brits who live abroad can now vote in the General Election.

However, I think that living overseas permanently should mean losing the right to vote in your country of origin after a certain number of years.
People might live and work abroad for a few years with the intention of returning one day, or feel homesick and want to return so having a vote for a set number of years is reasonable.

That sounds like a fair compromise. For people living abroad permanently as a resident on a long-term basis = no vote.
For someone living and earning abroad temporarily and with a UK address = a vote.

Joseann

👍 sorry forthe mix up, Mamie/*Casdon*. I was throwing clothes on earlier when I read it, (on school run today).

I know numbers-wise it wouldn't happen, but if I was Mark Smith, a plumber, from say Luton and was voting for an MP in a marginal seat, and along come votes from retired Joe Brown and co. abroad, who used to live in Luton, might I not bea bit miffed if their votes upset the apple cart and my preferred candidate lost? My concern would be for what is happening in my home town everyday.

I can understand that in a local election (which we do not have the right to vote in), but surely in a General Election most people vote for the party they want to be elected to govern the country? As I said before, my Tory MP is a good egg, but I wouldn't dream of voting for him.
As vintage50 says, UK citizens living long-term in the EU were unable to vote in the referendum and had their rights removed by people who had no idea of the implications. As I recall, "what is the EU?" was the most Googled phrase the morning after Brexit. How was that fair?

Not a question of loyalty or non loyalty though

I agree. Sometimes people live overseas because they met, fell in love with and married someone from another country. Or they find a job, a career which they enjoy more and which suits them better, or are relocated with their firm for some years.

People should not have to stay somewhere where they cannot progress because they feel loyal to the country.

However, I think that living overseas permanently should mean losing the right to vote in your country of origin after a certain number of years.
People might live and work abroad for a few years with the intention of returning one day, or feel homesick and want to return so having a vote for a set number of years is reasonable.

Not a question of loyalty or non loyalty though. Many of us who were born in the Uk still like the place , believe it or not. There are many, many reasons why people leave. Not all of us despised the place. No, I think the reason we shouldn’t vote is because we are out of touch with what is going on. We only hear biased views from reporters and people on forums like this. We are not really in a position to judge who will be good and who will not. From what I hear, I wouldn’t vote for Starmer but that is just it, I only hear a small amount. I wouldn’t vote for Sunsk, either, come to that. He might be a wonderful leader for all I know from a distance.Just don’t hear much at all - nothing to go on.

citizenship and residency should be the determining factors

Of course Rosie, those should be the determining factors.

There’s nothing I can do about it but I dislike the idea of people who have insufficient loyalty to actually live in the country, or to live here but refuse to take out citizenship, having a say in the country where I am I citizen and is my home.

I think if you live abroad BUT still pay taxes in the UK, you should be to vote, however if you live abroad and have no links with the UK anymore, then no.

If being able to vote in British elections depended upon paying taxes here do people think foreign investors who pay tax here should have a vote since they'll be interested in the economic health of the country? My son left these shores many years ago. Hasn't had a vote anywhere despite paying all taxes to his new country. Having recently taken citizenship he'll finally get a vote. Citizenship and residency should be the determining factors.

Have spoken to my family about this, the children who have passports,visited only once, their lives are in what they call their home country,not the UK. Other family have no interest either, their adopted country is their home.

My new passport was issued on the day the late Queen died and has Her Majesty on it.

DD is an Australian citizen, having married an Aussie 22 years ago.

No idea if she would want to vote in a UK election. It’s mandatory to vote over there.

She is still a British citizen, has just renewed her British passport, chuffed because it is now Charles.

There is a lot of discussion on some of the remaining forums and most people seem to be signing up to help family and friends to get rid of the current government.

That made me laugh, Maimie

Talk about being hoist with your own petard...

I think this is a storm in a tea cup. I doubt that many Brits who have lived abroad for more than 15 years will take up the option and that the votes of the relative few who do will be inconsequential.

Of course, this isn't a new idea. I recall that Cameron intended to lift the restriction of 15 years, but never got round to it. I think it's got more publicity this time because Sunak is desperately clutching at straws.

Why on earth he doesn't just call an election now and bow out gracefully I do not know. Perhaps he can't bear the idea of the prospect of losing becoming a reality. After all, those chaps educated at high profile private schools don't expect to be losers, do they?

vintage1950

Long-term British expats in EU nations were unable to vote in the Brexit referendum. I think about a million people were affected, am not sure about the figures.

That’s would have made a bit of a difference. Can’t imagine them voting for Brexit. I would have voted then , had I been allowed to, because it was so very important and I really didn’t want to see my country of birth making a huge mistake. For that very reason they wouldn’t have let us vote, obviously.

Long-term British expats in EU nations were unable to vote in the Brexit referendum. I think about a million people were affected, am not sure about the figures.

👍 sorry forthe mix up, Mamie/*Casdon*. I was throwing clothes on earlier when I read it, (on school run today).

I know numbers-wise it wouldn't happen, but if I was Mark Smith, a plumber, from say Luton and was voting for an MP in a marginal seat, and along come votes from retired Joe Brown and co. abroad, who used to live in Luton, might I not bea bit miffed if their votes upset the apple cart and my preferred candidate lost? My concern would be for what is happening in my home town everyday.

Actually Joseanne it was Casdon who said that about migrants being more politically aware not me. I wouldn’t want to judge but I would probably say some are some aren’t. There is a lot of discussion on some of the remaining forums and most people seem to be signing up to help family and friends to get rid of the current government.

My daughter left aged 3 and has only visited once when she was 12. She is now 52. Could she vote ? She has never worked there, doesn’t have an insurance card but I think she used to have a British passport when they were in the EU. Interesting.

No and no. So my family, with a British passport ,by birth, who have never lived here, some have visited only once, ten years ago, can vote in our elections. Outrageous.

I mentioned taxes, taxes I’m sure are to do mainly with the upkeep of infrastructure, however surely this is key.

It doesn’t matter to me that some ex pats regard themselves as having superior knowledge and interest in the political life of their ex country; that matters not one jot. What matters is that you live in the country and are a citizen of the country that you wish to vote in.
I have never agreed with the 15 year rule, and I don’t agree with extending it.

Yes, JackyB, even Germany is in a bad way. Never thought we'd see that!

I still agree with you Joseann.
I haven’t ever said anything about ‘no taxation without representation,’ although it was an important landmark at or following the Boston Tea Party.
To me a person needs to have a direct interest and involvement in a community/country. If you choose to live abroad, I’m afraid you don’t. Plus if you choose to live in a country but decline to become a citizen, then likewise, you are declaring that your loyalty and therefore citizenship is owed to another community/country.

There's some truth in what you say Mamie about expats being more aware politically than some citizens at home! Why? Because if they're wide awake enough, they can't help but compare different governments, laws, systems, etc. so have a certain knowledge of what is going on at home too.
But I still think a vote is a step too far.

And I do pay taxes in the UK. Well. I declare my income but it's too low to be taxed. It would never have occurred to me that taxation had anything to do with the right to vote. What about the 18-year-olds who are still at school or others who are too young to have started earning?

This news has been doing the rounds in our expat WhatsApp group, too. Some of us are applying. Quite honestly, I can't remember the last address I lived at in the UK, so I don't think I could apply. I left when I was 19, before I had had an opportunity to vote, so I have never voted in my life.

I do follow the UK news and listen to the radio and the Newscast podcast, so I am fairly and quite honestly, I wouldn't have the faintest idea who to vote for. They all seem so useless. It's not much better here in Germany.

Good luck with the GE!

if if understood the article correctly, UK citizens who live abroad can already vote in UK elections for 15 years, so this ruling only applies to those who have lived abroad for longer than that but who are still British citizens.
I doubt many of the 3m eligible people will actually vote, it will be interesting to see, but the UK is one of the last to the party in allowing this to be possible for those who want to - and if they are motivated enough to go to the effort of registering to do so, I’d wager they are more aware politically than a lot of the citizens who actually live here.