To: The government of the United Kingdom.
Create overseas constituencies and extend democracy to disenfranchised expats
When it debates electoral boundaries and voter registration with a view to changes in the law in 2020, the UK government should acknowledge that over 2.2 million British people currently living in Europe need their interests represented, and should create overseas constituencies to extend democratic rights to all British people including those living outside the uk.
Why is this important?
British citizens living abroad can vote in uk parliamentary elections for up to 15 years after they move away from the uk, and then only in their previously registered constituency. This became a major issue in the EU membership referendum.groups of disenfranchised expats took their case to the Supreme Court, explaining how their rights to live and work in Europe were strongly affected by a vote in which they were under current legislation unable to participate in. The Supreme Court regretted and acknowledged the unfairness of their situation but were unable to rule in favour of the disenfranchised British citizens.
Expat Brits have strong financial and emotional and familial ties to their homeland. However they have particular issues relating to their status as expats which are not in common with uk based British people. For example, access to healthcare, residency in their adopted countries, savings, investments and pensions are tied very closely to their status as British citizens. And yet many are unable to influence major decisions in parliament associated with these crucial elements of their lives, because they have been disenfranchised by virtue of their expat status. They pay taxes and national insurance, they hold savings which are invested in the uk economy, some are custodians of British war graves, they teach our language and culture to citizens of their adopted countries and are the UK's greatest ambassadors. The creation of overseas constituencies would allow expat Brits access to the democratic process which home based Brits take for granted, to have their needs and interests represented.
The US called for independence from the UK over 200 years ago on the grounds that taxation without representation was undemocratic. In the interests of democracy, the government should extend these rights to all its citizens.
