Voting rights for expats

Labour and the Liberal Democrats have never really pushed for expat voting rights because there is an assumption (which is totally wrong) that most expats would vote Conservative. The general impression in Britain is that expats are living a life of luxury in the sun and because they allegedly have money they would vote conservative. Not the case.

I believe that expats should be playing a bigger role in the affairs of Spain by voting in Spanish local elections. This is their new home and any decision taken by their local council will have a direct impact on them. Voting in UK elections is really just a distraction.

The British government has enough problems getting people to vote in the UK let alone Malaga or Magalluf. The vote for life was an election pledge by the Conservatives which they have now honoured. Many of the expats I have spoken to have said that it is too little too late. They all wanted to vote in the European Union referendum, which they couldn’t. The assumption, which was wrong again, was that expats would be voting to remain. I have been rather amazed at the large number of expats who support Brexit even though they live in the European Union.

Two decades ago when there were Conservative Abroad clubs across Spain perhaps the expat vote would have been important but times have changed. More voter apathy and the fact that many expats are not really interested in British elections. It would have been far better for the British government to call for extended voting rights for expats in Spanish elections.

At the end of the day I would much prefer to vote in a Spanish general election rather than a British one. I suspect that many expats would agree with me. We have made a new home in Spain and to be honest the British government hasn’t appeared to be too interested in our thoughts over recent years.