Top Tory plea for ex-pats to gain poll vote

PALMA
THE chairman of Majorca's Conservatives Abroad group has called on Balearic residents to ensure that they are registered to vote in future UK polls.
Peter Newey has urged ex-pats to ensure they are eligible to vote in any forthcoming UK general or European parliament elections. “I personally have fought for a long time for this and fronted delegations to Brussels to ensure that people get the chance to vote. “Tony Blair disenfranchised a lot of voters abroad when he changed the legislation regarding the residential qualifying period of voters outside the UK,” said Mr Newey.

Now a person must have resided outside the UK for a maximum of 15 years if they want to vote. Previously, it was for 20 years.