Palma06/03/2021 10:18
A story which went rather unnoticed because of the Covid crisis was the plans by the British government to give expat Britons the vote in UK elections for life. I sincerely thought that the issue had been quietly forgotten especially as it could prove quite unpopular in Britain. The Conservatives have been talking “expat voting” for many years.
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“Selfish lifestyle”. Says it all, doesn’t it ? Most, if not all non “ex-pats” haven’t got a clue about the reality of living abroad, and if they have they are just jealous and haven’t got the gumption to do anything about it. But they still consider the members of the Mayflower and Captain Cook to be people to look up to and celebrate.
The whole taxation and right -to-vote issues need re-jigging. In my opinion you should only be able to vote in the country you pay your income tax. I lived in Spain for many years and paid my taxes there but could only vote in Local Elections, not National ones. Surely the paying of taxes gives one some rights as well as obligations.
I presume that you pay Taxes in the UK Jason, so you must be able to vote. If you don't contribute here you should concern yourself with what happens in Country of Residence. Many people around the World are affected by what the UK does, but you cannot expect them to have a vote. Live in the UK, pay Taxes in the UK vote in the UK.
I cannot believe that you honestly feel that so called ex pats should have the right to the destiny of the UK residents who PAY local taxes and deal with all that happens on a day to day basis within their country. The use of the euphemism ex pat really means immigrant or migrant so that means that you have migrated away from your original homeland in favour of another so how dare you think that you can decide the destiny of those who do abide in their home country. Any vote that a so call "ex pat" uses would be only in bias to how a manifesto affected their life of as you say beer swigging, sun worshipping lifestyle not that of how does this affect my country whether or not it is detrimental to my life abroad. Having lived abroad for many years I would never take the opinion that I should have the right to change the destiny of my home country in favour of my selfish lifestyle.
And you will pay UK tax too? Remember it is no taxation without representation.