Long-term expats cannot vote on EU

Government's decision to uphold rule that strips right to vote after 15-years continues to anger expats

Lord Lexden and Brian Cave have done considerable work towards ending the 15-year expat vote limit and deserve the thanks of all British expats.

We need to exercise our right to vote. A lot of people will not be in a position to vote in the coming EU referendum which may affect the lives of expats in the EU and the huge percentage of businesses in the UK which work within the EU.

There could be many other such issues which would affect all of us in one way or another, it could be your right to protest against proposed changes in the law that may affect your children or grandchildren or pensions.

Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg are always talking about human rights and equality and the way Britain helps lead the world on democracy. What is their true stand on the human rights of British expats to be equal to UK-resident British subjects?

I believe France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, as well as the USA, all give their citizens the right to vote wherever they reside, for life. Beware – if the British government feel we are not British enough to vote, because we do not reside in the UK, they may start to think about us being less British in other ways and take away British citizenship after a person has lived abroad for, say, 15 years.