Brits Overseas can now register to vote in the UK

[Brefugee]

This is good. Finally getting our votes back.

So how do i decide how to vote? We get to re-register in the last place we were entitled to vote, so that makes Miriam Cates my local MP. How can i find out if she's any good? Are there websites or places i can find out about tactical voting?

Are there other overseas Mnetters who have similar questions?

Just follow U.K. media. To be honest most Brits don’t vote for their MP they vote for the party.

I like our (French) system where we have MPs for overseas constituencies. So my MP’s constituency is U.K., Ireland, and the Nordics. There are 11 overseas constituencies in total (not counting the ones for French Guiana, Martinique etc which are treated as just regular departments of France).

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25897/miriam_cates/penistone_and_stocksbridge

Personally I am not a fan of the change, I think as pp posted their should be an overseas mp that’s voted on.
but look at local newspapers, fb groups to see more info about local campaigns candidates are doing as it’s going to be aeffecting those people and you can obviously check sitting mps records on theyworkforyou.

I think that's great. I'm a dual citizen and I have always had the right to vote in my home country's elections (thank god, because the country is a right shambles and needs all the help it can get, you think the UK is bad?). I think it's really important for overseas citizens to have the right to steer the direction of their country even if they don't live there.

When I vote in the UK (where I live), I tend to look for information on the local council's website, look on Facebook, look on their own website - basically I just google and find out what's out there about them. Generally speaking though, if you support a certain party, you vote for that party, unless the MP is rank (obviously some of them are). Where I live, there is very little choice, unfortunately.

There is a tactical voting website. I couldn't tell you want it is now. But I'm sure if you search you could find it. It basically tells you who to vote for given whatever outcome you want. Honestly, it's not hard to work out for yourself though, but again, not much choice where we live in the Tory heartlands sadly, so it's not difficult.

thank you, i just found that too. We agree about nothing at all, but i've heard she's a good constituency MP so i need to research more. Because what i want in an MP, much as i would prefer a party i support, is that they are good and effective in advocating for their ward.

I've discovered that most parties in the UK are very unattractive to me.

I'm a bit torn about the right to vote, tbh. I am a dual citizen of another european country where i am now elligible to vote (thanks, Brexit) and for years i was always a bit cross that i pay a shedload of tax but have never been able (until citizenship) to vote on how it's spent.

On the other hand, I do think as a citizen of a country you should be able to help shape how that country works, even if you don't live there. So while i haven't been able to vote in the UK for a long long time, now i can, i want to use it sensibly.

It’s best to follow local FB groups as a pp said. There will be discussions on specifics like what candidates said at briefings or how they deal with local issues escalated by the local counsellors.

I think it's really important for overseas citizens to have the right to steer the direction of their country even if they don't live there.

@mindutopia why do you think so?
If someone lives in another country as their permanent residence, doesn't live or pay taxes in the UK, then why do they get to vote in UK elections?

I have family and friends who have lived in other countries for 20+ years, they know very little about the issues affecting the UK other than what we tell them. They contribute nothing to the social or economic situation in the UK.

My DSis has lived in Australia for 27 years. Her husband is Australian, as are her children. She is an Australian citizen. She works in the health service, pays her taxes in Australia, spends her money in Australia, volunteers in her local community. She votes in Australian elections. Just because she's also retained her British citizenship doesn't mean she should have the right to vote in the UK.

In countries with things like PR and AV (or both) I'm more ok with overseas citizens not getting a vote, because the chances are the government will be more representative than a country with FPTP.

So when i see that the UK has a tory government because of the way votes are counted, where it wouldn't under PR/AV then to be sure i am going to use my vote. I am aware that there is a whole heap of cognitive dissonance going on here in my head. But a lot of my family live there, including my mum who finds it hard to advocate for herself, this gives me more of an ability to help from afar.

@EmmaGrundyForPM I disagree. A nation is not a geographical location - if it were then surely everyone resident in the U.K. should be permitted to vote? A nation is a people and whether the people are living in the homeland of that nation or scattered across the globe they should have a say in how the nation is governed. Luckily this is how my nation, for all its (many) faults, sees it.

Thanks for posting this, I was unaware of the changes. Great news for my friend who is very politically engaged, but recently passed the 15 year mark. She has spent the last 5 years flying back and forth to the uk to deal with care for her parents. And is paying tax via estate and management fees. It’s incorrect to say that this who have lived abroad for years no longer have skin in the (UK) game ; the Brexit vote has caused huge issues, yet many were unable to vote on their massively impacted future .