The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Bruce Wayne]

Agreed. If you have a permanent address here then you should be allowed to vote, if you don't then you shouldn't.

Works out at a shade under 5 million people who fall into that boat.

 

[sd_1992]

Still the myth that Osborne is some kind of economic guru and is sorting the nations finances out needs to be put to bed.

So does the myth that Labour are somehow the party of the poor, but people seem very fond of it even when Labours manifesto contains policies that will damage those worse off, just to grab some headlines.

Osborne has done a pretty decent job of managing the recovery, but the management of the debt is too much of an ideological crusade with too little economic benefit to the average person.

 

[roydo]

Works out at a shade under 5 million people who fall into that boat.

What? 5 Million ex pats get a vote, or 5 Million residents/immigrants dont?

 

[Tubey]

What? 5 Million ex pats get a vote, or 5 Million residents/immigrants dont?

Ex-pats - that's how many Brits abroad there is. A ridiculously tiny amount are registered to vote though.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

What? 5 Million ex pats get a vote, or 5 Million residents/immigrants dont?

Ex-pats - that's how many Brits abroad there is. A ridiculously tiny amount are registered to vote though.

I was actually meaning the number of non UK citizens in the UK (ie that aren't allowed to vote). No reason to dispute the expat figure though, I'd imagine it was very high too.

 

[roydo]

Ex-pats - that's how many Brits abroad there is. A ridiculously tiny amount are registered to vote though.

Gee whizz. That many? That must be about 10% of the electorate, ish.

Who do they vote for? Like , what constituancy? The one where they last lived I suppose.

 

[roydo]

I was actually meaning the number of non UK citizens in the UK (ie that aren't allowed to vote). No reason to dispute the expat figure though, I'd imagine it was very high too.

I wonder if Brit expats in France can vote in a French election then?

 

[Clint Planet]

My wife and I have been married for years and she is very much a contributing member of our society, having left Poland 18 years ago, and yet, since she has to fork out about £700 to become a British citizen, she cannot vote in General Elections. Which is a pity because she's more of a socialist than I am.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I wonder if Brit expats in France can vote in a French election then?

I think it generally depends on the country. If I moved to Czech, for instance, I wouldn't be eligible to vote there, although my other half can whilst living here for the last decade. Funny old world

I think you've got to have lived in the UK in the last 15 years though, with presumably your last address used for your 'constituency'

 

[Bruce Wayne]

My wife and I have been married for years and she is very much a contributing member of our society, having left Poland 18 years ago, and yet, since she has to fork out about £700 to become a British citizen, she cannot vote in General Elections. Which is a pity because she's more of a socialist than I am.

But she seemed so nice?

 

[roydo]

My wife and I have been married for years and she is very much a contributing member of our society, having left Poland 18 years ago, and yet, since she has to fork out about £700 to become a British citizen, she cannot vote in General Elections. Which is a pity because she's more of a socialist than I am.

Doesnt seem right, parden the pun, to me that Clint.

 

[Tubey]

I was actually meaning the number of non UK citizens in the UK (ie that aren't allowed to vote). No reason to dispute the expat figure though, I'd imagine it was very high too.

Yup 5m approx expats - less than 1% registered to vote.

 

[roydo]

Yup 5m approx expats - less than 1% registered to vote.

Really? Blimey. Then again, why would you bother? The only thing that any government could do that would have an impact would be allowing their state pensions to be indexed like a UK residents is.

 

[Groucho]

This would encourage a lot more people to vote and certainly entice younger voters into politics more I feel. Assuming you mean Proportional Representation?

Worryingly, this would severely favour UKIP at this election

Sod that then

 

[chewee]

We had a referendum on voting systems (Part of the coalition agreement in 2010), FPTP won so we will not be getting another one any time soon. Maybe PR in a reformed House of Lords but not in the Commons. Labour have included Lords reform in their manifesto - many see it as a Lib Dem olive branch.