Tories promise to give expats back the vote at next general election

Brits who have lived overseas for more than 15 years may be able to vote again in UK elections should the Tories secure a second term

The UK’s Conservative Party has announced that it plans to draw up a manifesto to abolish current laws that state expats lose the right to vote in Britain if they have lived overseas for 15 years or more.

The announcement comes as the Tories begin their pre-election campaign, and the pledge will be introduced after next May should they secure a second term in office…

The Tory manifesto – drafted to ‘protect the rights of citizens overseas’ – is intended to benefit Brits who have “contributed to Britain all their lives”, said a Tory Spokesman.

“Millions of British citizens live and work across the globe. Many have worked hard, contributed to Britain all their lives, and have close family living in Britain,” the spokesman continued. “Like many other countries, the UK continues to protect British citizens living abroad with its military, embassy network, and passport services.

“However, Britain currently restricts the rights of these citizens to vote in general elections.”

A Brit living in Spain has the right to register a postal vote in British elections only for the first 15 years of living away from the UK. After that date, they are currently banned from voting, and are also unable to vote in Spanish general elections unless they adopt Spanish citizenship.

The Tory spokesman criticised the last Labour government for reducing that timeframe to 15 years, and spoke of how a series of concerted campaigns have since been launched in an effort to extend or abolish completely such a law.

“If the Conservative Party wins the next general election, we will remove this cap and extend it to a full right as a British citizen to vote in British elections for life.”

Before 1985, Brits were unable to register to vote in national elections in the UK the minute they moved overseas. The Representation of the People Act 1985 changed that, extending the entitlement to a mere five years. In 1989, this was lengthened to 20 years, and then reduced down to 15 years in 2000.

In what has become something of a political hot potato, Conservative Party Chairman Grant Shapps would now like to see the issue put to bed.

“Being a British citizen is for life,” he said. “It gives you the lifelong right to be protected by our military and Foreign Office, and to travel on a British passport. We believe it should also give you the lifelong right to vote.”

The chairperson of Conservatives Abroad, Heather Harper, welcomed the announcement, stating: “It is great news that the Conservative Party has listened to us and included this in the Conservative manifesto so that millions of expats, of all political persuasions, will be included in the democratic process again.”

The only slight irony being that those most likely to benefit from the rule change are those already affected by their inability to vote – British expats who have lived away from the UK for more than 15 years. If that’s you, then you should start hoping for a Tory victory next May, even if the party is not normally your cup of tea…