Mr Mark Magee has posted the commentary below challenging British democracy in action and particularly where changes to the Constitution are concerned:
“Please share, like (eg on Facebook) and vote to campaign for equality for all UK citizens to vote on British constitutional law referendum changes such as Scottish Independence on 18th September 2014, and not exclude 800,000 Scots from that vote.
I myself enquired about voting but was denied the right to vote in a constitutional referendum change on the Good Friday Agreement, due to the fact that I was living on the UK mainland at that time and despite the fact that I am a British Northern Irish citizen, living in Britain. Yet as part of that arrangement Southern Ireland had to vote on changing its constitutional law claim to Northern Ireland , thus influencing the British Constitution in Northern Ireland. Yet if neither vote had been passed then the NI Assembly would not have happened.
In 1974 all UK citizen’s were asked to vote in a referendum vote to join the EU which was passed as a yes vote, thus changing UK constitutional law at that time and then with subsequent EU treaties to date. Now in 2017, David Cameron has legislated to ask all UK citizens whether to remain part of the EU, whilst signing a memorandum of understanding with Alex Salmond allowing the Scottish Independence Referendum on 18th September 2014, excluding 800,000 British Scots in the rest of the UK from that vote, whilst lowering the voting age to 16. How can that be both democratic and equal in terms of human rights, the very things that politicians claim they want from the British public electorate, participation and expression in political life?
I have also enquired with the Ministry of Defense concerning UK force’s entitlement to vote in all types of elections including referendums today and was informed that all UK forces can vote when they are stationed outside the UK provided they register to do so by postal vote. One of the reasons given by the Scottish government for denying 800,000 Scots the democratic right to vote in the Independence Referendum was it would be to difficult to organise. However, if you can prove where you were born, are able to postal vote just like the armed forces can whilst not being in residence in the Uk at the time, then I have to ask what’s the problem?
On the subject of suffrage in the early part of the 20th century, Emily Pankhurst campaigned for political equality of voting right franchise for women as for men which was eventually achieved. Yet in the 21st century, we have politicians denying 800,000 British Scottish citizens the opportunity for democratic expression on their own constitutional status and that smacks to me of discrimination and is 100 percent wrong.”
Votes for Expat Brits blog 
Re My many issues raised re UK voting rights . The action taken by Westminster MP’s re Political Parties, Elections, Referendum 2000 Acts ( all UK juisdictions ) is evidence of an undemocratic act ; page 141 ” miscillaneous amend 20 years to 15 ” a totally different Act to Representation of the Peoples Act 1989 which the above is ammending ??? !!! which has reduced the period of right to register to vote overseas UK Citizens from 20 years to 15 Do UK Citizens ( ie MP’s ) have the right to restrict another UK Citizens right to representation for me that is the simplistic question ? Prior to ROP 1989 the 1985 ROP act was 5 years – prior to 1985 representation of UK citizens overseas never existed so there was not an actual action by MP’s to disenfranchise UK overseas Citizens untill year 2000 ( IF THAT ACT IS IN FACT LAWFULL ? ) The Scots Referendum 2014 will create serious problems for the Westminster Establishment wether yes or no . if yes Oil revenue will increase ( to a realistic figure – oil companies are worried ) to the benefit of one part of ” British Isles whereas if no Westminster Establishment will FAIL to exist as a UK gov. very soon after UNLESS Westminster changes ie English Parlaments / Assemblies equal to but not superiour to the other UK Parlaments / Assemblies that being the written word of the England Wales Scotland 1707 Act of Union and the 1808 Act of Union with Ireland ( being modified Ulster only 1922 ) . .
The reality is that the UK is not a full democracy. Universal Adult Suffrage for life is not respected and is even deliberately legislated against in the case of UK nationals living abroad. The UK political system is effectively an elective dictatorship in which almost unlimited power is given to the government to do whatever it wants without consulting the electorate between elections. The country now needs a system more like the Swiss Direct Democracy, where Manifesto promises must be honoured, every major government policy introduced between elections must be approved by a majority of the electors before it can be implemented and where the electors can themselves propose policies that, if approved in a vote, must be implemented by the government. It is time that control of both policies and politicians was given to the people. If the Swiss can do this, why can’t the UK?.
While most of what you say is absolutely right and I agree with your main thrust, you are mistaken on the following points:
Paragraph 3: “In 1974 all UK citizens were asked to vote in a referendum vote to join the EU” is incorrect. The UK joined in 1973. The UK held a referendum in 1975 to determine whether it should REMAIN in the EEC and ALL expatriate UK citizens were excluded from voting, even though the result could affect our very livelihood – I know well, because I was one of them.
Also in paragraph 3: “Now in 2017, David Cameron has legislated to ask all UK citizens whether to remain part of the EU” – again wrong, all expatriate citizens who left the UK more than 15 years ago are excluded from voting.
I should add that I absolutely agree that ALL Scots should be allowed to vote in such an important referendum for the very future of the country, but I strongly believe ALL UK citizens should be able to vote in such a referendum – it does not only affect the Scots. And I would also emphatically exclude non-UK citizens from voting – currently non-Scottish and non UK citizens living in Scotland will be allowed to vote – in what way is it their business to determine Scottish independence?
All this is TOTALLY anti-democratic and a complete, clownish travesty.
I totally agree with you as being born in a country does not make you necessarily a citizen of that country and more to the point being born of a Scottish parent outside Scotland does not mean that you are not a Scot. I was born in the middle East of British parents. I am not a middle Eastern citizen and my Mother was born in Scotland from a long line of Scottish ancestors. As you say the whole thing is a complete traversty