Expat Votes

[FredPuli43]

The LibDems have some novel ideas. Any thoughts on expats' MPs or job sharing MPs. If someone has emigrated for over 15 years, have they not distanced themselves from voting ? [Below: The Times]

Expatriates would have their own MPs in the Commons under a Liberal Democrat plan to create overseas constituencies.
The measure is part of an overhaul that would introduce devolution for Cornwall, “recognising its historic, cultural and linguistic claim to autonomy”. Other reforms would allow two candidates to run for Parliament together as “job-share” MPs.
The proposals are among those to be put to the Liberal Democrat spring conference next month and will become the party’s official policy for the next election, should they be voted through.
Seats representing Britons living in Europe, North America and Africa would be introduced, giving a voice to about 800,000 British nationals who live all or part of the year in Spain.
Several European countries give representation to nationals who have emigrated. France adopted the model in 2010, with two seats for North and South America, six covering Europe, two Africa and the Arabian peninsula and one for most of Asia and Oceania.

[Prudie]

Tora I thought it was called health tourism and is doing a roaring trade - privately of course.

[whiskeryron]

// I did inform them that ''Lady Smith'' had been relieved, for which information they gave much thanks. //

Wonderful things these prunes.

WR.

[Gromit]

This thread seems to have wandered from ' should ex-pats have an MP?' to 'should they get a vote at all?'

Ex-pats have always (for a long time) had the vote. I don't think it distorts the election result, so I am happy to run with it as it is.

As for having dedicated MPs, I would be against that. 6 MPs could influence an election. They could influence a coalition. It would be wrong if we had a close result to have people not living in the country deciding who is Prime Minister.

However, when there is a move to enlarge constituencies here and have less MP in the Commons, then introducing overseas MPs seems counter that.

[ToraToraTora]

Yes prudie, but you have just said the whole thing is equvalent to a 3rd world system, I wonder how many systems world wide have you sampled?

Gromit, how do they have a vote? what constituency are they in? or are you talking about the military?

[Prudie]

Tora please read before you jump. I said absolutely no such thing. I said I wasn't sure that many expats would come back here UNLESS they lived in the third world eg if they've gone to live in the Amazon rainforest. As we know most expats live in superb villas with pools in the EU they're more likely to use those health facilities.

[ToraToraTora]

I see, apologies, if I got the wrong end of the stick. What I was saying though was that many expats have to come back to UK when their health deteriorates because the place they will not be able to afford treatment in their chosen country and probably won't be able to get insurance either.

[Sqad]

TTT....there you go again....making assumptions about health care outside of the UK.

I have had this on AB for about 8 years, concerning exPats " scuttling" back to the NHS for healthcare. Yes, some May, but many expats find healthcare abroad as good as and in some cases better then the NHS.

Gromit is correct.....this thread is about the LIB/ DEM proposal, which I so not agree with.

I also would not object to the vote being taken from exPats.

I was just putting forward alternative views that I have head from other expats.

[jake-the-peg]

The French have this system

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constituencies_for_French_residents_overseas

given the distribution of ex-pat french in effect it means there is a French deputy representing South Kensington!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constituencies_for_French_residents_overseas

I'd be for it provided the ex-pats were paying taxation in Britain

No representation without taxation! as George Washington ought to have said!

[modeller]

How about the millions of '' expats'' ( immigrants ) who live here , do they have voting rights in their home country .
I have noticed most of the immigrants I know change their party alegiances totally after they have been here a few years. I wonder if our expats do the same. ?

[Brenden]

If you are a British national (not dual ) you should have the right to vote in this country , once you decide to take the nationality of the country you are living in you lose this right.