Victory For Common Sense?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36341839
Personally I don't think expats should have the vote at all. They live in Italy why do they care anyway?

[Gromit]

The 15 year rule is arbitary, and seems to be plucked from the air.

It should be a straight rule, you can vote if you are a UK resident on 23rd June. I don't see why someone who has lived abroad for 5 years, or 14 years, gets to vote, yet these two cannot.

[New Judge]

Good grief, Gromit! We near enough agree!!!

I'd make a small bit of leeway to allow for registration (i.e. you have to be resident on the registration date, say a month or two before the vote) but that's it. People who have upped sticks to live permanently elsewhere whould not be entitled to vote in any UK elections.

[Jackdaw33]

Working on the assumption, for which I have no authority whatsoever, that ex-pats are likely to vote REMAIN, I welcome this decision.

[youngmafbog]

Looking at some reports not all ex-pats will vote remain. But I still agree with what NJ has said. It is not right, either way they vote.

[New Judge]

It's quite true that ex-pats are more likely to vote remain. But that is not the point. I remember this tale from few weeks ago (obviously when it was at an earlier stage in its stately procession through the courts). I particularly remember Mr Shindler. He is 94, has lived in Italy for more than 30 years and clearly has no intention of returning to the UK. Yet he wants the right to vote in a referendum that will have a profound effect – whichever way the result goes – on all those living here. It is quite true that the result – whichever way it goes – will also have a profound effect on many of those (of all nationalities) living in the rest of the EU. However that does not mean they are entitled to have a say. The pair’s argument was based on their contention that denying them the right to vote impinged on their right under EU law to freedom of movement. That is ridiculous and I’m not surprised m’Learned Friends struck it down.

There was an earlier question on this issue:

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question1488534-2.html

My impression of Mr Shindler was this:

“He wants to vote so that he can have his cake and eat it. He wants the UK to remain in the EU (regardless of the pernicious influence that organisation has on the UK) simply so that he can remain an “EU citizen” and retain all the benefits that status bestows. Meanwhile the disadvantages to the UK of its EU membership are of no concern to him whatsoever. His solution is simple – he can apply for Italian citizenship and so be sure of retaining his EU rights. His being allowed to vote in a UK referendum would be an absolute travesty.”

And it hasn’t changed.

[viv41]

Yes, definitely a victory for common sense.