Attorney General Dominic Grieve’s backing for the campaign to win a vote for some 2 million British expats living around the globe was applauded at the Conservatives Abroad conference.

Round Town News | Noticia

Speaking at the London conference to Conservatives Abroad from the Costa Blanca, Singapore, Australia, the United States, Hong Kong, and members of other European branches, Mr Grieve outlined an overview of the Coalition Government’s achievements.

However, his endorsement of the campaign to regain a vote for all British citizens living abroad won the most applause – especially from a team from the Javea Branch, currently campaigning for change.
And at a dinner for conference delegates, Mark Harper, Minister for Constitutional Affairs, also faced up to the growing disquiet of expats about their ‘disenfranchisement’.
The Minister said that 25% of Britons overseas were students and 55% were working and therefore were “batting for Britain.”

CHANGE
Currently expats living abroad lose their vote in UK General Elections after 15 years. Mr Harper said he was open to comments and suggestions about how the law should be changed.
Stephen Kidgell, treasurer of Conservatives Abroad Javea, commented: “I have lived in Spain now for over 20 years and I have many friends – all of us working – who have been here just as a long. We are all denied a vote back in Britain but we are still British and carry a British passport.

“But I did feel that, on listening to Mark Harper, the Government does now hear our cry and I am hopeful the new Bill going before Parliament will give us our vote back.”

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