Thursday 25 October 2012



A short time ago the Prime Minister, David Cameron agreed the structure for a referendum on Scotish independence.

More and more there appears to be also a consensus on holding a referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU, and for many of the 5.6 million British ex pats there will be no right to vote.


Sixteen and 17 year olds are still classed as children and their interest is looked after by the Children's Commissioners. They cannot legally drink,smoke drive a car or go to war, but will be allowed to vote in the forthcoming vote on Scotland's independence 
The Tories gave the SNP this concession, but are reluctant to give the vote to its own citizens who have chosen to live elsewhere in Europe. Why?

A referendum on Britain's ties with the European Union would be the best way of agreeing a fresh settlement with the 27-member bloc, says Prime Minister David Cameron, but a large group of its citizens who have chosen to live in Europe are denied the vote because of the removal of the right to vote after 15 years.

For the ex pats living in Europe, many of whom are pensioners, a vote on membership of the EU can have life changing consequences. If Britain pulls out of the EU the “right of abode” is called into doubt, and health cover will become a large problem.
Is it right that a constituency of 5.6 million Britons (an estimation of Brits living overseas), many of whom still pay their taxes to the UK government, and larger than any constituency within the UK, has no vote.

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