Why Should Those That Have Forsaken Their Country Get To Vote In Its Elections?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-56265898
More to the point why would they want to?

[ToraToraTora]

jno: "hardly forsaking his country. He fought for his country, and refused to take up Italian citizenship because he wanted to stay British" - Why not live here then?

[Quizmonster]

“Surely if you don't even want to live in your country you should not have a say in its governance.”
In that sentence, the phrase, with its possessive “your country” is an admission that it is common for people to think of the land of their birth as being of special significance to them.
There is a multitude of perfectly good reasons that may explain why someone is not presently resident in his/her country of birth. These reasons may well have nothing whatsoever to do with the question of “wanting”. Other necessities or commitments frequently have an impact on one’s decisions.

[Spicerack]

You should be happy, ttt, to see our lefties giving a thumbs up to patriotism. Take some screen-shots for future use. ;)

[woofgang]

I have got family members who are expats because of employment. Its a british company which operates globally and the breadwinner runs one of the foreign branches. The whole family lives abroad. Why should the adults in the family not vote? I was an expat myself for a couple of years for the same reason. It didn't suit us so we came back to England but again, if we had stayed, why should we not have been allowed to vote?

[ToraToraTora]

Let me turn that around, why do you think you should be allowed to influence matters in a country you do not live in?

[THECORBYLOON]

It might influence whether they return or no.

[ummmm]

Because sometimes it's not a choice.

I thought you claimed to be intelligent but you seem a bit hard of thinking, TTT

[gulliver1]

And better still many of them will be allowed to vote in their Country of resident . Two bites of the cherry , how about that then me old china. P/s pmsl.

[ToraToraTora]

when it's not a choice, fine, that's already covered for diplomats servicemen etc no one is talking about those, provision is in place. Who's hard of thinking ummmm? I'm talking about the law being changed not the status quo.

[Sqad]

You have been over this topic over and over again and the same people are saying the same things.

AB is becoming very repetitive and boring..........not AB as such, but ABers.

[ToraToraTora]

It says in the link that they'll vote in the constituency they left from. Great so now the councils have got to enhance their electoral reg systems to cater for this. I hope they are allowed to charge for this, then we'll see how determined these extralopers are to vote.

[THECORBYLOON]

"Great so now the councils have got to enhance their electoral reg systems to cater for this."

Folk who have been abroad for no more than fifteen year already have the option to vote. It would not take much to expand that to capture all ex-pats.

[bednobs]

if you live abroad, the country of your birth still exerts its influence on you - for example you may well receive a pension

[Hopkirk]

What I took issue with is someone like my son being accused of forsaking his country. I don't disagree with the core issue being raised. If my son stays abroad, I don't see why he should keep his vote.

[gulliver1]

11.55, And the beauty is ,they ain't paying council tax for the sevice. all done for FREE.

[bednobs]

TTT if you took your argument ot its logical conclusion, there'd be no need for foreign consulate assistance - people who've chosen to go abroad on holiday should just deal with whatever happenes to them

[ToraToraTora]

bednobs, I don't see how any of that is related to ex pats getting to vote.

[Hopkirk]

Your vote isn't for a leader, it is for a local MP to represent you. If you don't live in the constituency it's a bit odd to want to have a vote for who represents it.