Questioning the resistance of some British politicians to granting continuing voting rights for British citizens living abroad, , Ben Lenthall commented recently on our blog:
“The answer from the authorities seems to be – if you want to live abroad, forget your roots, become a citizen of that country and vote there.
I live in France, but I don’t want to be French – I’m British and proud to be so. Why should I have to change my nationality in order to be enfranchised?
By all means give me the choice to be French if you must and then take away my UK vote – but if I decide to remain British and care about my country, I should have that right. Never more so than when our very membership of the Club of nations which allows us to be in Europe is being called into question.
If it affects me directly and it does – I demand the right to be represented.”
If you agree with Ben’s argument, please add your vote here in support of our campaign to remove the current 15-year-limit on our voting rights.
Votes for Expat Brits blog 
Further, amongst its reasons to vote, the Electoral Commission says on its site at
http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/why_should_i_register_to_vot1/reasons_why_you_should_regis.aspx
“Across the world people have died fighting for the right to vote and be part of a democracy – By registering to vote you’ll be showing that you think that right is important. Think about it this way – in the UK, less than 100 years ago, people were killed during their struggles to get the vote for women. In South Africa, not until the end of apartheid in 1994 were black people able to vote for the first time. Today, many people across the world are still denied the right to vote.
– See more at: http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/why_should_i_register_to_vot1/reasons_why_you_should_regis.aspx#sthash.eP1TjsMp.dpuf
It also says:
“It gives you a say on important issues that affect you
– everything from roads and recycling in your area, to education and climate change – You may think you don’t want to vote now, but if an issue comes up that you want to have your say on, if you’re on the register you’ll have the chance to vote on it. Remember, registering to vote doesn’t mean you have to, it just means you can if you want to.
– See more at: http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/why_should_i_register_to_vot1/reasons_why_you_should_regis.aspx#sthash.eP1TjsMp.dpuf
Perhaps they need to be told about some more issues that affect us! Like In/out referendums, going to war, who has the right to vote, secession of countries from the UK (yet another scandalous proposal, to keep the rest of the UK out of the proposed Scottish secession referendum), etc….
If the person in the blog is so proud to be British but live in France why doesn’t she go back to Britain
The person in the blog (Ben Lenthall) is taking benefit from the right to free movement within the EU and has made no criticism of France in which he is currently resident. He is only arguing the principle of retaining the right to vote in UK elections as an expatriate British citizen. This principle is already recognised by France for its own expatriate citizens who all retain their right to vote in French elections, without the French government suggesting they either return to France or apply for citizenship in the foreign country in which they are resident, in order to be able to continue to vote.
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