EU referendum hope for expats

DESPITE having been sidelined in yesterday’s Queen’s Speech the UK government is NOT ruling out the chance that votes for long-term expats could be passed in time for the EU referendum.

In fact it is now hoped that votes for Britons who have been overseas for more than 15 years will be dealt with by the British parliament in the current ‘session’, that is to say by May next year.

That should allow time for change to be implemented by the referendum, which the government has promised will be held before the end of 2017.

This is contrary to comments by the British media following a recent interview with eurosceptic MP John Redwood on Radio 4’s Today in which he said those voting in the referendum should be the same as those who voted (in the recent general election) to hold it.

In fact Conservative MP Roger Gale, who has pressed for an end to the 15-year rule for some time, told Connexion omission from the Queen’s Speech itself is not cause for concern. As we reported yesterday, a ‘Votes for Life’ bill was referred to only in a ‘background notes’ document.

He said: “It was not in the speech as such, but then neither were some other matters, like fox hunting. I have now spoken to a very senior member of government who said the intention is to bring forward a bill in this session.

“What we all have to remember however is we do not have a government majority in the Lords and a we have a very tight majority in the Commons and any bill must be in a form that is likely to get through them both, so there is work to be done to make it watertight.”

Sir Roger added that Mr Redwood’s point of view was his own, as a backbencher, and not definitive.

“I and others have made it very plain that we believe that every person holding a British passport should have the right to vote in perpetuity – in the referendum, if it can be done in time, as well as in the next general election.

“I have to say though that the exercise of voting this time was not particularly successful as there were cases of ballot papers not arriving on time. I’ve already taken it up with the Electoral Commission – we’ve got to get a system in place that enables people overseas to vote properly.”

A spokesman for Number 10 confirmed that the intention is that the bill should be introduced in the current session.

However no precise timetable for this has yet been set, he said. It would be decided on “in due course”, and “as soon as possible”, depending on parliamentary time available.

The ‘background notes’ also referred to the referendum bill, stating it is intended that those able to vote in the referendum will include those able to vote in general elections, such as people who have lived overseas for less than 15-years. However the spokesman agreed this did not in itself rule out a change in the general election franchise taking place before the referendum is held, due to the Votes for Life bill.

The bill itself was published today, with Prime Minister David Cameron saying he wants it pushed through in “extra quick time”. It is now thought the referendum could even be held next year, a year before the deadline. The bill says those able to vote in it will be those who, on the day of the referendum, could vote in parliamentary elections.

Time therefore remains tight, for the Votes for Life bill to be passed and to take effect before the referendum is held.

The ‘background notes’ say the Votes for Life bill will:

• Scrap the current 15-year time limit on voting rights of British citizens living overseas and enable them to continue to vote.

• Provide for the secure and accessible registration of overseas electors.

• Contain provisions to make it easier for overseas electors to vote in time to be counted.

• However the notes do not explicitly say when it is intended that the 15-year limit will end.