To point out that if you're a UK citizen you can now register to vote even if you've lived abroad for more than 15 years?

[CrispEater]

The rules changed in January so even if you've been out of the UK for more than 15 years, you can vote.
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/media-centre/all-abroad-more-brits-overseas-can-now-register-vote-0
It's very easy to register online.
https://www.gov.uk/voting-when-abroad

Why would you publicise this? Surely it’s morally wrong to vote if you don’t live in a country and won’t be affected personally by who is in charge.

Why would you want someone to vote who hasn't lived in the country for years.

This is terrible. The only reason it's allowed is because most expats are raging Tories

Wasn't the overseas vote something the Tories brought in under Mrs Thatcher?

If you're temporary overseas, say for a couple of years for work, fair enough but not when you've upped sticks to live abroad permanently - save to come back to use the NHS.

You don't live with the consequences so you shouldn't have the right to vote. I know of a few people who live overseas who voted Brexit.

Anyone who doesn't live here can fuck off voting in our election.

I live abroad. I have a house in the UK and a business. Plus my family live there. I want them to have good health care and schooling

Uk politics still affect me personally eg anything brexit related

It's not morally wrong

Look at all the expats living in the EU for longer than 15 years who didn't have a say in Brexit. Then afterwards they were all stuffed over a choice that they actually had no say in. Right to live freely in the counttry they've lived and worked in for years gone. These people also have no right to vote in the country they live in if they aren't citizens. So where do they get their say?

Bloody hell! if people have a legal right they have a right to know that they have it.
I have a relative who lives abroad and falls into this category and is as far away from being a Tory as is possible.
Thanks OP.
You can argue against the right, but not against people's right to know about it.

Exactly @NoKnit - I'm one of them. Thanks for the info, OP.

Why would we want to come back to use the NHS? You know state healthcare is far superior in many other countries. Plus ... you'll hate this.... moat pensioners abroad get their healthcare paid for by the British government using their s1

Come back to use the NHS?

That is hilarious

meh. You all voted me out of the EU and that had a massive impact on my life. I am now going to return the favour by taking up my vote back in the UK and using it.
What do you think all us overseas voters are going to do though? How will it harm you?

To answer your question: we are affected by the decisions the UK government makes in various ways. And i am not happy with some so I'll be thinking very carefully before casting my vote.

We had to move out of UK precisely because of the government making stupid decisions (Brexit). As the SAHM, I don't earn enough to bring my EU husband back to UK even if we wanted to, despite more than qualifying in terms of savings (Brexit). His earnings don't qualify (Brexit). We still have a home in UK on which I pay taxes.

That gives me the right to vote any way I fucking want.

Well, this one isn’t. And since I have a vote, I’ll damn well be using it!

Quick question, which constituency do you vote in if you have been out of the country this long, the constituency that you left when you emigrated of the one you were born in?

It may be hilarious but I know a number of people who have returned to the UK to give birth.

I'm voting in the constituency i voted in when i was overseas in the army, which is where my parents live. My dad used to proxy-vote for me. But i guess if you didn't live anywhere in particular, or (lime my DCs) have never lived in the UK, i guess you could choose? not sure tbh.

When i registered to vote, i also applied for a postal vote, but never got the papers for the recent local elections, so I'll be needing to do that again as a matter of urgency. Does anyone know if you can collect the documents from the local town hall? I'll be in UK before the election.

Well that is just plain stupidy. Nevermind hilarious. Let's face it the vote of someone who is that narrow minded isn't going to matter. Dread to think what nonsense someone who thinks like that would vote for.

If you know people who live overseas who voted for Brexit they obviously hadn't been away for long enough though had they? Rule was 15 years = no vote

Thanks for this

back in the UK this summer and will be sure to vote

Returning to the UK to give birth may have to do with nationality issues rather than being a choice to "use the NHS". For example, my DD was born outside the UK and so has a qualified form of British citizenship rather than full British citizenship. If she now does not return to the UK to have her own children, she will not be able to pass her UK nationality on to them.

Honestly, I have no idea. Could you email your relevant electoral registration officer in advance of your trip here?

Once you've been non resident for 6 months you're not allowed to use the NHS any more

I've been gone 18 yrs and won't be voting. But if i planned to come back soon i would!

Depends where you pay your taxes, own a house, and pay your child's university fees surely?

And I'm crying with laughter at the idea of coming back to the UK for NHS care. Thanks but no thanks, we're good for that over here.

Yes, people do go over to the UK to give birth - so that those children can pass on their British Citizenship, not for the superior healthcare they'd get whilst doing it.

@MagnetCarHair you have to apply online to the last constituency you voted in. Mine was the one in which I own a house, although I left that area in 1984 for university and then work. They ask you to provide evidence of your links to the constituency- I sent the house deeds and some wage slips, bank details etc. Took about two weeks to be approved.

Trust that also means you're in favour of giving the vote to non-citizens while lived in the country an equivalent length of time.