An assistant to Nick Clegg, the leader of the Liberal
Democratic Party wrote on April 25th this year (2012)
“Nick appreciates that there are
some British expatriates who have lived abroad for over 15 years and who want
to vote in British elections. However, as you may know, Nick supports the
existing legislation on this issue, including the removal of the right to vote
after 15 years of living abroad. If a Briton has settled in another country, it
is intuitive that they would know about and be directly affected by the issues
of that country. If they want to become politically active, then they should
register to vote in the country they have settled in.”
It is easy to pick holes in this
statement. To vote in another country
means taking out the nationality of that country and in some cases thereby
renouncing British citizenship. Is Mr
Clegg suggesting that British patriots should become less British? Let us quietly reflect on these thoughts, in Europe
and throughout the World.
In 1973 Britain
joined the European club, which perhaps should be more appropriately labelled
the European Association of Nations, rather than the European Union! Since then there has been a tardiness in the evolution
of the British domestic fiscal and political regulations supporting the tenets
of this Association. They tend to be
fossilised in a fashion which would be considered more appropriate to the early
20th century, before the second World War than to the current age. The regulations within the ‘Association’, which
stem from the EU and have been adopted (it would appear rather grudgingly) by
the British Government, enable Britons to survive on the continent. I and
others could not live in France
if these arrangements collapsed. Further,
I and others hold dear our families and friends resident in the United
Kingdom with whom we communicate on an
almost daily basis. Whatever happens to
the NHS, education services, the police and passport controls and of course the
management of the finances, on which I and all British pensioners depend wherever we live in the world, most certainly affects me and mine, just as
much as if I still lived in Gloucestershire!
Of course such links vary according to the individual, but all British
citizens are always linked in some measure to the triple countries of Britain
and Northern Ireland,
whether they live in Normandy or New
Zealand.
The world has become (as they
say) a global village. Europe
is changing into an association of States, none of which can stand alone. EU
regulations affect us all- if at times imperfectly implemented. Everything in the 21st century
world is connected. Particularly in Europe we have a
network of nations – held
together by the webs formed of its citizens and communicating (hopefully)
with the Governments of their Nation
States.
*****
Politicians often use
phrases such as ‘It is good for Britain
that’.. ‘It is in the interest of Britain
that’ …
What, one must ask, is this ‘Britain’
of which they speak? It is clear that they are not thinking of the geographical entity of hills,
and rivers. They are considering the
welfare of the citizens. Are the only
British citizens of concern to the Government, those who reside amongst the
hills and valleys and the towns and villages of the United
Kingdom?
Is Mr. Clegg prepared to answer ‘yes’ to that question? Or will a shadow of guilt pass across his
mind. Is the Citizen Abroad of little
value? Is the answer from Mr. Clegg – ‘quite so’?
If all the Citizens of Britain
disappeared, then so would the Nation of Britain. The Citizens ARE
Britain. The ‘good’, the ‘interests’ of Britain,
is and are, those of the British Citizens.
Why does a Government exist? Does it exist for the sole benefit of the
members of the Government? No. That is
dictatorship. It exists for the benefit
of the Citizens. All citizens! There cannot be a ranking of, ‘they are all
equal but some are more equal than others’.
A Government exists to serve the
Citizens,
The Citizens do not exist to
serve the Government.
The policies of any Government
must ensure the welfare of the Citizens wherever they may be living, at home or
abroad. Not just those who are resident within the geographical State.
In the global village or more
narrowly, the Association of Europe, the
British Nation is widespread and British influence is spread by these very same
Citizens.
Every British Citizen epitomises
British culture. Their attitudes, the
way they think, and act, appear to their host country neighbours as a reflection
of the British way of doing things.
The good (or evil) that they do,
affects the image of all British citizens, and thereby the image of this entity
called ‘Britain’.
For the good of all Britons, at
home or abroad, would it not seem sensible, imperative even, to engender a
feeling of mutual support between them, of affection one with another.
As things are now, we have
British citizens abroad denigrating the British Government, despairing at the
blindness of British politicians and the civil servants. They despair at the tepidness of respect for
their efforts in promoting British business or culture.
Would it not engender pride and
mutual loyalty to be warmly recognised?
The sense of pride is of huge importance. The notion that one is no longer to be
considered a full citizen – for that is the effect of the law - after fifteen
years - is insulting.
The answer is Representation in
one form or another at Westminster.
Perhaps the House of Lords could accept elected members
from the wider world of British Citizens.
Most expatriates are desirous to be patriots and not ex-patriots.
**************
A full exposition of my arguments on the matter
of Representation of Britons Abroad can be viewed here:-
www.lefourquet.net/Voting-finalversion.html
You can leave comments on that site or this one (see the link below).
***********
**Please view also www.votes-for-expat-brits.com (More in depth analysis of the position of Britons Abroad and voting/Representation). ***You can leave comments on that site or this one (see the link below).
Author --- Brian
Cave
Email addresses for Mr. Clegg are:-
nick.clegg.mp@parliament.uk
