‘Bittersweet’: Brits living abroad for over 15 years finally win right to vote in UK Elections

‘Bittersweet’: Brits living abroad for over 15 years finally win right to vote in UK Elections

Apr 29, 2022 | News

By George Mathias – Originally posted in The Olive Press

CAMPAIGNERS were celebrating their victory after years of battling for the right of those who have lived abroad for more than 15years to maintain the right to vote in UK elections.

On Thursday, April 28, the House of Commons passed the bill that will give tens of thousands of Brits in Spain and across Europe, the right to vote, regardless of the length of time they have lived outside the UK.

It puts a stop to the rule that saw long term British expats denied the right to participate in the Brexit referendum in June 2016.

The Elections Bill passed by both committee stage in the House of Lords and the report stage, where it was scrutinised for legal loopholes, before returning to the House of Commons on Thursday for a final vote.

The move follows 15 years of campaigning by expats, including from the Conservatives Abroad group.

Christine Rowlands, chair of Conservatives Abroad, told the Olive Press: “This is 20 years of work in the making and we are overjoyed. It will make a huge difference to the people in the UK.” 

Among the most high-profile campaigners is 100-year-old Harry Shindler, a Brit living in Italy, who challenged the 15-year limit taking to the UK courts and the European Court of Justice.

Harryshindler.jpg

100-year-old Harry Shindler has tirelessly campaigned for British expats be able to vote in UK elections.
Photo: British Embassy in Rome.

“This is a historic moment and Britons all over the world will be celebrating,” said the centenarian on Thursday.

Bremain in Spain’s Sue Wilson, who was awarded an MBE for her campaigning, admitted that the news stirred mixed feelings.

“While I’m delighted for Harry Shindler, after his tireless efforts, the news comes with very mixed feelings. The restoration of our democratic votings rights comes at very great cost,” she told the Olive Press.

“As we gain the right to vote others, thanks to new voter ID requirements, will lose theirs, and it is likely to affect many groups already disadvantaged, such as ethnic minorities, the poor and the young.

“The bill also takes away the independence of the Electoral Commission and gives the government more powers and removing further scrutiny. It’s a bitter pill to swallow in order to get back what we have lost. Most importantly, the votes are not yet in our hands, so our campaign will continue until the relevant processes are in place to make ‘votes for life’ work ahead of the next general election. It could come sooner than expected!”

The new law applies to all British citizens living overseas who have been previously registered to vote or have previously had a registered address in the UK. It is estimated that around 3.5 million Brits permanently reside abroad.

The law change also allows for postal and proxy voting for those who reside abroad.

Overturning the 15-year rule was a promise made by the Conservative party in three successive election manifestos.

Previously, the UK government said: “Decisions made by the UK Parliament impact British citizens who live overseas and so they should have a say in UK Parliamentary General Elections.”

‘Mixed feelings’: British citizens in Europe finally get right to vote for life

‘Mixed feelings’: British citizens in Europe finally get right to vote for life

Apr 29, 2022 | News

By Hayley Maguire – Originally published in The Local Es

 

British citizens living abroad will no longer lose their right to vote in UK elections if they have been abroad for over 15 years, after a long-term government pledge finally became law. Here’s what we know about the new rules.

What’s happened?

The UK government’s Elections Bill finally passed through the House of Lords in the British parliament on Wednesday night. Part two of the bill was was hugely important for British citizens living abroad because it restored their right to vote in UK General Elections, no matter how long they have lived abroad for.

Previously the so-called ’15-year rule’ meant Brits who had been out of the country for more than 15 years lost the right to vote back home. This rule effectively barred tens of thousands of Britons abroad from voting in the 2016 EU referendum, despite the fact the result had a direct impact on their lives.

It is believed the bill now extends voting rights to some 3.5 million British nationals living around the world, over one million of those living in Europe.

The move marks a victory for those Britons who have long campaigned against the 15-year rule, none more so than 100-year-old Harry Schindler, a British citizen living in Italy who began the campaign many years ago.

What’s the reaction been like?

Whilst the reaction has been mainly positive to the change, there were reasons for Britons not to be satisfied.

Jane Golding, former co-chair of British in Europe, and chair of British in Germany was, like many, unhappy with the another element of the bill that means voters will have to show mandatory photographic ID at the polling station, a move that critics say will make it harder for less well-off citizens and young people to vote.

“We are of course very pleased to have our votes back and pay particular tribute to the tenacious campaign that Harry Shindler has run for many years to make this happen,” Golding told The Local.

“Members of our British in Europe steering committee, including myself, have also campaigned for many years to make this a reality but it is difficult to celebrate a bill that undermines the independence of the Electoral Commission and will probably make it more difficult for lower income or disadvantaged UK resident citizens to vote. Moreover, the proof will be in the pudding: a right is only a reality when it is properly implemented.”

Sue Wilson, from Bremain in Spain also struck a similar note.

“Today’s long-awaited result brings with it mixed feelings. My 15 years outside of the UK will be up in August, so my stake in the outcome is very personal. I should feel like celebrating the overdue restoration of our democratic voting rights.

“However, it’s impossible to ignore the cost to others and to UK democracy in general. Where we are gaining back voting rights, others will be disenfranchised by the new requirement for photo ID. The bill has also removed the independence of the Electoral Commission and made it easier for foreign money to influence future elections. What should today feel like a win, sadly does not.”

What are ‘votes for life’?

The new rule will allow British citizens living in another country to continue participating in the democratic process in the UK by retaining their right to vote – no matter where they live or how long they have been outside of the UK.

The changes were part of the Elections Bill, and also make it easier for overseas electors to remain registered for longer through an absent voting arrangement.

This means electors will have to renew their registration details every three years instead of annually.

How can British people overseas use ‘votes for life’?

The new “votes for life” will apply to all British citizens living overseas who have been previously registered to vote or previously resident in the UK.

The absent voting arrangement means individuals will be able to reapply for a postal vote or refresh their proxy vote at the same time as renewing their voter registration.

However, overseas electors will only be entitled to register in respect of one UK address, with clear rules put in place surrounding this. 

British people wishing to register to vote under the new measures will also have to show a “demonstrable connection” to a UK address.

Furthermore, individuals will have to register in the constituency of the last address where they were registered to vote, or the last address where they were a resident.

The government states that someone can demonstrate their last address by checking past copies of the electoral register or local data such as tax records, or by documentary evidence or, “failing the above, an attestation from another registered elector”.

Why has the UK government made these changes?

Unfortunately this comes too late for many Brits abroad to get a say in the thing that has had the biggest impact on their lives – Brexit – but it’s better late than never.

In a previous press release, the UK government stated that decisions made by UK Parliament impacts British citizens who live overseas and so they should have a say in UK Parliamentary General Elections.

It specifically mentions decisions made surrounding foreign policy, defence, immigration, pensions and trade deals.

But issues such as NHS access, UK university fees, nationality and border measures are also of huge significance to Britons living abroad.

Lord True, Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, said previously: “In an increasingly global and connected world, most British citizens living overseas retain deep ties to the United Kingdom. 

“Many still have family here, have a history of hard work in the UK behind them, and some have even fought for our country.

“These measures support our vision for a truly Global Britain, opening up our democracy to British citizens living overseas who deserve to have their voices heard in our Parliament, no matter where they choose to live.”

More could  be done for Brits abroad

Many other countries already give their overseas nationals the right to vote for life and some, including France, have MPs dedicated to representing nationals who live overseas.

But an amendment put forward by the Lib Dem party to give Britons abroad MPs was rejected.

The Lib Dems also criticised the British government for failing to streamline the voting process to make it easier for Britons to vote from abroad. The government rejected a call to move to electronic voting for those overseas to replace postal voting.

Votes for life in UK general elections for British expats finally becomes law

Votes for life in UK general elections for British expats finally becomes law

Apr 29, 2022 | News

NEIL HESKETH / JENNIE RHODES – Originally posted in SUR

 

After a fight over several years, campaigners are celebrating the change which gives UK citizens in Spain more say in decisions ‘back home’

British citizens living in Spain are celebrating today after the law in the UK changed to allow them to vote in Westminster elections. The move could affect hundreds of thousands of expats across Spain and many more Britons worldwide.

The new ruling is part of a bigger elections bill which received Royal Assent this Thursday, 28 April, and British ministers have committed to implementing it within the current parliament. Previously, UK citizens lost the right to vote 15 years after they last voted there.

Chairperson of Conservatives Abroad for the Costa del Sol, Christine Rowlands, who was one of the first to campaign for the change and has led trips to London to lobby ministers and MPs, said she was “super excited” by the change becoming law because of the “huge impact” it will have on the rights of British expats to influence decision making in the UK. “Many still have property in Britain or family living there who are affected by UK government decisions and these people will now be able to have their voice heard,” said Christine, who is originally from Shrewsbury in England. “I did not expect to see this in my lifetime,” she added.

The rules, which will take time to set up, mean British citizens will be able to vote in the constituency where they were last registered on the electoral roll, or, if they were not registered as a UK voter when they left, in the place where they were previously resident, subject to showing proof to local registration officials. The new right to vote only applies to UK parliamentary elections.

Keep pressure up

Sue Wilson, Chair of Bremain in Spain, said, “The restoration of our democratic voting rights is something we’ve campaigned for, hoped for, longed for, for a very long time. We must keep up the pressure to ensure that the process of restoration is swift. Most importantly of all, we need those votes ahead of the next general election. My 15 years will be up in August. My fight will not stop until I can once again cast a vote for my party of choice.”

Other parts of the bill included issues affecting UK elections, such as greater protection against election fraud, more support for disabled people at the polling booth and measures to prevent intimidation at the ballot box.

Bitter sweet feelings as elections bill passes through parliament

Bitter sweet feelings as elections bill passes through parliament

Apr 29, 2022 | News

Sue Wilson MBE

by Sue Wilson MBE

The passing of the elections bill through parliament comes at a price as Johnson now takes control of the Electoral Commission.

When I heard that the elections bill had been passed by parliament, the song It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to came to mind. After years campaigning for the restoration of stolen voting rights for Brits abroad, today should have been one of celebration. But instead of reaching for a glass of bubbly, I feel more like reaching for the anti-depressants or signing up for anger management classes.

Longstanding fight for voting rights

The fight for the restoration of full voting rights for Brits living abroad has been one that’s been very close to my heart for a long time. The existing rules remove voting rights once a British citizen has lived abroad for 15 years. The fact that in three months’ time my own 15 years is up has added a personal level of urgency.

The campaign has been fought long and hard by many, not least the remarkable, and still very active, 100-year old Harry Shindler OBE. It has also been a longstanding objective of the campaign group Bremain in Spain. But how can we celebrate the end of a hard-fought battle for democratic voting rights when the prize comes at such a heavy price?

A solution looking for a problem

During the course of its progress through both houses, there have been many attempts – mostly by the Lords – to temper the government’s undemocratic plans. Voter ID, despite being widely criticised, will now be a legal requirement and will disenfranchise millions of minority voters – it has been compared to US-style ‘voter suppression’.

The local elections next week will be the last time before all voters are required to produce photo ID. That could be as many as two million people prevented from voting by a ‘solution’ to a non-existent problem – that of supposed electoral fraud. At the last election in 2019, there were only 33 cases reported cases of suspected fraud. One of those resulted in a conviction, another in a caution. Giving me back my vote at the expense of someone young, disabled, poor or from a minority background does not feel like a win.

The last battle for democracy

The fight for the independence of the elections’ regulator – the Electoral Commission – was the final battle to be lost to the government. They will now hold executive power over the elections process and be accountable only to themselves. Taking back control, it seems, only applies to the government, not to the country.

This should be big news, but it won’t be. It will pass largely unnoticed. It could simply be a lack of interest by the media or the general public. Or perhaps it’s because we’ve become so used to watching our democracy being dismantled before our very eyes that it’s just another day in toxic Conservative Britain. Either way, getting my vote back at the expense of integrity and democratic scrutiny does not feel like a win.

Where were the Opposition?

Members of both houses put up strong, reasoned, passionate arguments against many elements of the elections bill. Several Lords amendments were added – many of which on lesser issues were accepted. But the fight for the independence of the Electoral Commission was the last and most drawn out.

It had been speculated that, with time running out before the prorogation of parliament, the government might be forced to compromise. However, the government stuck to its guns, forcing the bill back to the Lords late in the evening for acceptance or rejection.

By the time of the bill’s return, it seems that Labour Lords had given up the fight.  On social media, the response to Labour’s inaction was almost as critical as of the bill itself. Getting my vote back, at the expense of my disappointment in the opposition does not feel like a win.

More horrors to come

The elections bill – awful as it is – does not stand alone. It is one of a number of right-wing, undemocratic, toxic bills that serve nobody except for this government. With each new piece of legislation, the government grabs new powers for itself, removes any remaining scrutiny and takes away our rights. All in the name of ‘democracy’.

Worse still, they are not done yet. In the forthcoming Queen’s Speech – due on 10 May – when the new parliament will be officially opened, we can expect more attacks on our rights and our democracy. Some horrors we are expecting, such as the planned attack on human rights legislation and the new Brexit freedoms bill, which aims to overrule the international Brexit treaty. No doubt there will be more nasty surprises too. All the more reason why we must put our anger, our frustration, our sadness behind us, and focus.

The battle isn’t over

For Brits abroad, a big part of that focus will be on continuing the journey that the elections bill has started. In law we may have won back the right to vote, but we are still a long way from exercising that right. The road will be long, infuriating and complex, but we cannot stop now. The processes now need to be put in place to allow me to vote at the next general election.

It’s ironic that it is this Conservative government that is restoring our right to vote. When first they agreed to the principle, many, many manifestos ago, they likely believed they could rely on the overseas British vote. Labour thought so too. But that was before Brexit. Before our lives abroad were affected in ways we could never have imagined. Getting my vote back, at such considerable cost, does not feel like a win. Voting in the next election, with millions of disenfranchised Brits, to remove this government from power once and for all … now that will feel like a win.

Will Johnson ask the Queen to announce her government’s intention to break the law?

Will Johnson ask the Queen to announce her government’s intention to break the law?

Apr 29, 2022 | News

Lisa Burton by Lisa Burton

If Johnson expects the Queen to announce this legislation in her speech it will prove that he has no respect for the Queen

Last week the Independent reported ‘Boris Johnson set to use Queen’s Speech to pick Brexit fight with EU’. The article was about the UK government’s intention to bring in a bill that would give new powers to Northern Ireland politicians enabling them to override parts of the Northern Ireland protocol. This policy would unquestionably breach international law yet be included in the Queen’s Speech.

Picking a fight with the EU

The protocol is part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, an international, legally binding agreement signed between the European Union and the United Kingdom. Its purpose was to avoid a hard border between the north and south of Ireland to protect the Good Friday agreement’s fragile peace. The UK chose the hardest possible Brexit, which meant leaving the customs union and single market, thus creating a customs border between the EU and the UK.

On 17 October 2019, Johnson agreed with the EU that the required customs border would be in the Irish Sea. Something his predecessor Theresa May had refused to do. He hailed the agreement as a victory, loudly proclaiming he had ‘got Brexit done’. All handily just in time to win the favour of voters before the December general election.

Johnson repeatedly lied to the people and business leaders of Northern Ireland regarding the consequences of the deal he signed. He denied there would be any forms or friction, famously saying that if any business had to fill in forms or declarations, they could just put them “in the bin”. He also said “there would be no barriers of any kind” to trade crossing the Irish Sea. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

They never intended to adhere to the deal they signed

The Conservatives lulled a weary population into thinking the deal’s signing would mark the end of the Brexit saga that had engulfed the country since 2016. It was a ploy to win votes, and it worked.

Since then, it has come out via many channels that the government signed the Brexit withdrawal agreement knowing they would not adhere to it. Indeed, as recently as last week, Jacob Rees-Mogg told the European scrutiny committee that the protocol was only signed by the UK “on the basis that it would be reformed” and that “wheels are in motion” to resolve the protocol issue. He arrogantly stated, “ultimately, we can do what we want”.

They can’t, not legally; the protocol is part of an international treaty between the UK and the EU. It was embedded in British domestic law. Ministers cannot overturn it (or parts of it) without breaching that law. It can only be changed if both the UK and the EU agree. The European Union executive responded to Rees-Mogg’s statement by telling reporters in Brussels that “the withdrawal agreement, the protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, are legal obligations to which the UK is bound”.

The Queen’s Speech

The Queen’s Speech takes place at the state opening of parliament each spring and is steeped in traditions and practices going back to the 16th century. Typically, it begins with the Queen’s procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster, escorted by the household cavalry. All sections of the British media extensively cover it.

This year, it falls on 10 May 2022. As tradition dictates, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is expected to set out the government’s agenda, proposed policies, and legislation for the session ahead. The Queen has opened parliament all but two times during her reign. In 1959 and 1963, the exceptions were when she was pregnant with Andrew and then Edward.

Although the Queen reads the speech in parliament, it is written by the government. So the question is, will Johnson and his ministers really have the audacity to expect Her Majesty to announce that her government intends to break international law?

Usually, this would be unthinkable, but this is Johnson, a man who seems intent on saving his political skin at any cost. We know that Johnson previously broke the law and lied to the Queen; well, to be more precise, he sent Rees-Mogg to lie on his behalf to the Queen when he illegally prorogued parliament for five weeks at the height of the Brexit debates in October 2019.

After a legal challenge in the supreme court, all 11 supreme court judges deemed the prorogation of parliament unlawful, adding, “This was not a normal prorogation in the run-up to a Queen’s Speech. It prevented parliament from carrying out its constitutional role for five out of a possible eight weeks between the end of the summer recess and exit day on the 31st of October”.

These are not regular times

In normal times, even the suggestion that a prime minister would consider using the monarch to announce an intention of lawbreaking would be inconceivable. Still, these are not normal times and although it would be shocking, would it be that surprising? After all, Johnson has form for this sort of thing.

There was a welcomed and marked change in rhetoric from the British government towards the EU after the Ukraine invasion. Picking a legal battle with the EU whilst war engulfs Ukraine stands in stark contrast to the unity and cooperation required to stand against Vladimir Putin. Sadly, the façade of collaboration for the greater good appears to have been short-lived.

The last thing Europe needs right now is infighting. Despite all his failures, Johnson has provided significant military assistance to Ukraine. He has been in regular touch with European leaders, and the West standing together with one purpose and voice has been a powerful force. A dis-united Europe is Putin’s dream and goal. The instability Brexit brought to the EU strengthened him and his long-term plans, and here we are, six years later, with Brexit still causing instability and division.

The UK’s international reputation

It is blatantly apparent to all but Johnson’s most ardent supporters that the international reputation of Great Britain has suffered dramatically over the past few years, particularly under Johnson’s leadership. The United Kingdom was viewed and admired as a country of common sense, law, tradition, and democracy. That is not how the international press and the rest of the world view it now.

If Johnson’s government does break international law, this will further damage the country’s reputation on the global stage. It would signal to the world that the UK cannot be trusted to keep its promises and that any future deals signed may be reneged upon. The UK would become an untrustworthy partner.

If the Queen announces the intention to law break, will it be the final straw?

The political norms of old do not currently exist. Johnson is intrinsically linked to Brexit and the lies upon which it was built. The ongoing division, deflection, and dishonesty we see now are extensions of what we have witnessed since 2016. Yet, many within the Conservative Party seem to be willing to excuse any wrongdoing to keep Johnson in power. After all, who else could be relied on to perpetuate these lies and divisions so well if Johnson goes?

If Johnson expects the Queen to announce this legislation in her speech, it will prove, once and for all, that this prime minister has no respect for the Queen, the country, or the remarkable institutions that have held up British democracy for centuries. The people of the United Kingdom and Her Majesty deserve so much better.

Bremainers Ask ……… Terry Christian

Bremainers Ask ……… Terry Christian

Apr 29, 2022 | Bremainers Ask, News

Terry Christian is a journalist, actor, author and award-winning radio and TV broadcaster. He has presented several national television series, including Channel 4’s The Word and 6 series of ITV’s moral issues talk show, It’s My Life. He has also been a strong critic of Brexit and the Tory government, and he’s not known for mincing his words.

Valerie Chaplin: What do you think of Boris Johnson’s comments comparing Brexit to Ukraine, and the inference that Michael Gove had a hand in the speech?

This was a ridiculous thing to say. Ukraine is desperate to join the EU and be free of Russian influence. Brexit will always be compared to intangible things, anything other than the real impact and how it impoverishes us, hits businesses, destroys jobs, denies opportunities, deprives us of rights, raises costs. So, expect much more of this vague drivel – Brexit is the moon landing, the conquest of Everest: it’s simply the bluster and distraction techniques of a shady conman.

 

Steve Wilson: Before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and following Partygate, it looked like Boris Johnson would be deposed. Will Teflon-coated luck keep him in office (and win him another election) or do you think he’s still vulnerable?

I don’t think he’s Teflon. The obvious truth of being a liar and self-serving, lazy charlatan sticks. What keeps him in place is immorality, shamelessness and supine Tory MPs. This horribly exposes the huge weakness in our lack of rules and constitution. The historian Peter Hennessy put it that everything relies on a “good chap theory” of government where people do the honourable thing, so there’s no need for strict rules. Now that we have someone without shame or honour, that all breaks down – it’s akin to having an honesty box which a compulsive, amoral thief turns upside down.

Would you prefer Boris Johnson to: a) depart early, allowing the Conservatives to hit the reset button again, or b) to remain in office, in the hope that he’ll be a liability come the next election?

I understand the tactical aspect of keeping someone so tarnished in place that it may help deliver a Labour government. However, personally I find it hard to overcome my visceral loathing of the man and his acolytes and I fear what further damage he and his tenth-rate appointees, like Nadine Dorries, might do. It’s like you go to buy a house – you’re certain to pick it up for a lower price if its semi-trashed with excrement smeared on the wall – but is that what you want?

 

Lisa Burton: Channel 4’s, The Word, which you presented, had some hugely controversial moments. Do you think something similar could be aired now? And what was your own personal stand out moment?

It would be seen as tame now. I never liked those “controversial” moments that allowed people to humiliate themselves for sneery laughs. It was the early poison that found its apotheosis in the ugly and deadly Jeremy Kyle bear baiting.

 

Sue Scarrott: What do you think the Tory government has in mind for the future of the NHS and what can be done to protect it?

I think they will continue to clap for it whilst trying to flog it off to their mates – it will be salami slicing and will be spread out thinly to disguise it.

As Brexit reality bites, how can we capitalise on Brexit voters who now regret their decision?

I’m probably not the one to ask – I’d advocate dunce hats, shaved heads, sack cloth and ashes for them. For those who hold their hands up and say yes, we were conned, then I guess the best thing to do is to hope that they will arrive at a more mature view of how we positively engage with our closest neighbours and allies. But even for those regretful Brexiteers, I have a feeling that once a mark, always a mark, and they will always be easy meat for yet more flag waving, foreigner-bashing conmen and grifters like Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson.

 

Derek Ironside: Do you think Labour’s best chance of success in the next General Election is with a “Progressive Alliance”?

Yes, but it may need to be a subtle nod and a wink agreement. The Tory strategy of only needing the hard-core hard-of-thinking, a smattering of bigots, and allowing the progressives to split their vote, needs to be challenged.

 

Ajay Lanyon: Should Labour support closer ties with the EU, e.g. by advocating for single market/customs union membership?

I suspect the best thing is to drift back over time, to get closer to the EEA. I also suspect that, if Europe had someone they loathe less than Johnson to deal with, they could be quite amenable to being more accommodating and flexible.

Helen Johnston: Tory MP Julian Knight questions if the Government’s privatisation of Channel 4 is being done for revenge for Channel 4’s “biased coverage of Brexit and personal attacks on the PM”. Do you think this is true, and would privatizing Channel 4 reduce the range of independent reporting on politics in the UK?

Yes – it’s a mixture of revenge and cultural vandalism – so pettiness and stupidity. To find the dumbest, most pig-ignorant MP possible and make them culture secretary tells you everything you need to know.

Our next Bremainers Ask contributor will be Alexandra Hall Hall. A former British diplomat with over 30 years’ service, Alexandra’s most recent assignment was as Brexit Counsellor and spokesperson at the British Embassy in Washington. She resigned from that position in December 2019, after concluding she could no longer represent the British Government’s position on Brexit with integrity.

She is now a frequent commentator and writer on British politics and foreign policy post-Brexit. In her latest article she argues that the time has come for serious discussions about reforming Britain’s political structures.

If you would like to submit a question for Alexandra, please email us no later than Saturday 7 May at enquiries@bremaininspain.com