That I'll never be able to vote or belong anywhere again?

[daretodenim]

I'm Scottish and live in an EU country where you have to be a national to vote. So I can't vote here. If I were to become a national, I'd have to renounce my UK citizenship. I'm British, I don't want to do that.

As I've been out of the UK for 15 years, I am not eligible to vote in the UK.

As I'm not living in Scotland I'm not eligible to vote in any Indy Ref.

I've been holding out hope that IF Scotland became independent I'd get a Scottish passport and somehow made a link that I'd get a vote. However, I realised today that every single time an indy ref is discussed by Sturgeon and she refers to Scottish voters, she refers to "the people of Scotland". She does not refer to "Scots".

So basically, I'm not considered a person of Scotland, as that's those who live there.

I'm never going to get to vote again, am I? In the country I'm living in (and will have to for complex reasons for the foreseeable future), I'm considered British/Scottish. They don't see me as one of them, because I come from abroad. Fair enough. Yet, neither Britain nor Scotland see me as one of them either, because I'm living abroad.

So if I want to be part of a democracy, I have to renounce my identity. I can't quite believe this can be happening.

I now see exactly why we got the referendum result, wtf has happened to the uk

I voted Remain,. I am really quite liberal in my views.

But I really struggle to see why someone who has left the UK for more than 15 years should have a say in how it's run.

I now see exactly why we got the referendum result, wtf has happened to the uk

TBH - that's why you shouldn't have a vote if you have left the country for a long time and have no idea about the UK and its current state. Things move on, the country changes...

If you lived here, you'd know a lot more about it.

@CombyourhairNow

Longstanding EU nationals were here in good faith. Part of UK society, with families etc. I don’t believe they didn’t take UK citizenship because it benefited them not to, but because there was no need. They were EU citizens living in an EU country.

They have now had to prove their right to stay, which is a complicated and bureaucratic process. They have been othered.

And of course what has happened to some of the Windrush generation and their children and grandchildren over the last few years is much worse, but it is similar in that people who thought they belonged can suddenly be made to feel that they don’t.

I know plenty thanks due to having close family there, and my husband spending 7-10 days a month in the uk

But thanks for your very useful contribution

That’s a shame @chomalungma maybe try opening your mind a bit and envisioning different situations

@OLDquestion

But having to prove their right to be here etc is a different debate to whether or not they should be allowed to vote.

I hope long-standing EU nationals that have been here for years, settled, worked etc aren’t left feeling like they may be ‘sent back’. I don’t believe that’s right at all and you would hope there would be something in place to prevent this from happening.

When I sat vote, I mean in the Brexit referendum

Say...

know plenty thanks due to having close family there, and my husband spending 7-10 days a month in the uk

Well he probably gets a vote then?

But having to prove their right to be here etc is a different debate to whether or not they should be allowed to vote.

Yes I know, but I think permanently settled people should have had a say in the referendum because the results impacted them too.

Anyway we can agree to differ, and I have enjoyed talking to you @CombyourhairNow.

OLDquestion

Yes I agree, I’ve enjoyed talking to you too. A good old fashioned debate is healthy as long as it stays respectful. Have a lovely Christmas 🎄

Thank you - you too @CombyourhairNow 😊

My husband lives in our adopted country. Why would he be able to vote in the uk just because he’s there 7-10 days a month

you cannot always leave a country you're living in if you're divorced and your ex doesn't allow it. You can be done for abduction of the children and lose all custody.

This isn't about the marriage but about the children. I have a British cousin living in an EU country who didn't marry her ex but had children with him and can't come home unless she leaves her children behind. If she'd had a barren marriage with him, she'd be fine to come home.

Choma are you seriously trying to claim that brits living abroad aren't affected by British politics or the brexit situation. Are you really??

Choma are you seriously trying to claim that brits living abroad aren't affected by British politics or the brexit situation

Not really affected by UK politics as much as people living in the UK are.

Can you tell me how much Brits living abroad (esp for more than 15 years) are affected by UK politics compared to Brits living in the UK?

Brexit - well that's a different situation. I think that Brits living in the EU should have had a vote on Brexit. But then again, it depends on how long they have been away for.

British politics often affect the agreements Britain has with various countries regarding movement and residence of British citizens. Our rights can change wildly depending on what happens in parliament. Brexshit in particular has been especially special..

Following that, a lot of brits abroad have property, pensions, investments in the UK. A lot pay voluntarily into the NHS. We are directly affected by British politics on quite a dramatic level and to suggest we should not be able to have a voice in what happens to us is kind of terrible.

Following that, a lot of brits abroad have property, pensions, investments in the UK

A lot of people abroad have property and investments in the UK. Should they have a vote?

Why would you want to vote here, in the UK, when you havent lived here for 15 years?
Bizarre!

Why do I want to vote in the UK despite having moved across 13 years ago? Because it bloody affects me!

Appoint me world dictator, and I will decree that people can vote in any country that regards them as tax-resident. Citizenship should be irrelevant, people should be able to vote where they live. (And not vote where they don't live.)

Apparently, decisions regarding tariffs made by the US affect us in the UK, especially in Scotland, yet no one says we should have a vote in US elections. Frankly, I am surprised that UK nationals are allowed to vote for 15 years after leaving the UK

Why?

Just because you get citizenship in a foreign county for residence or voting rights it doesn't mean you stop being British.

David Cameron announced his intention to hold a referendum 2 years before it happened. Plenty of time for anyone who was eligible & wanted to vote to become a citizen and vote.

It is very unfair to allow people who have chosen to live abroad for 15+ years to have a say on what people living in the UK do. And living abroad for whatever reason is a CHOICE.