The Referendum Bill

October 13^th 2015 the 2^nd reading of the Bill was debated in the House of Lords.

Many members spoke about the lack of a democratic voice for those who have lived beyond the UK for more than 15 years.

Relevant extracts are included in this *** digest ***.

www.lefourquet.net/HOL-13-10-15.doc

Read what Lord Shipley said

If we left the EU, work permits could return, more people could have to apply for skilled migrant visas, reciprocal health schemes could be reduced, the operation of UK state pensions could be affected and the general ease of mobility for UK citizens across the EU would become much more complicated and uncertain. I wonder whether the Government have calculated the impact if large numbers of UK citizens decided to return to the UK in the event of our exit from the EU.

 The full Hansard report is here

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldhansrd/text/151013-0001.htm#15101360000463

 The Liberal Democrat Party intend at the Committee stage to introduce an amendment to widen the franchise (the voting) to include at least ALL British Citizens in Europe.  This concept was supported by at least some members of all parties. Baroness Royall, who was in the last parliament leader of the Labour Party in the House of Lords, approved.

Neil Kinnock (Lab) -at one time leader of the Labour Party- and Paddy Ashdown(LD) - similarly a previous leader of the LibDems- have said that they will vote for any such amendment.  Lord Lexden (Cons) has pushed for the life-time vote for years.

The Lib Dem announcement on this is here……………..

http://uklibdems.eu/en/article/2015/1115459/lib-dems-fight-for-expat-votes-at-eu-referendum

Those in countries beyond the EU who receive this item should grasp the thought that voting rights will add force to the claim for pension parity.  They may not get the vote in this amendment, but if they lobby for support for this amendment – it should hasten the Votes-for-Life Bill.

After that may well follow a true and full representation of the Citizens abroad.  But moreover you may want to live in France or Italy later on or may be your family will – Remember all British Citizens are also European Citizens.

What should be done now…. Lobby a likely Lord!

In the following link you will see lists of the members of the House of Lords. 

http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/

It can be difficult choosing which member or members to contact – By scanning down the list you can see names who you feel may be supportive e.g. Bakewell, Blunkett, Boothroyd etc.. and you can see also how active they have been as members.  Lobby those who have not spoken in the ***digest*** above.

In sending a mail please modify the following - This is important because the HoL clearing room for emails will not forward perceived identical mails - nor multiple addressed copies of mails.

So personalise it.

“Dear (enter the members name),

The Referendum Bill

Do please support the amendment which will be placed at Committee Stage to ensure that British Citizens abroad who have lost their right to vote and have a sincere interest in the outcome of the Referendum can have a voice in this Referendum.  I understand that leading members of all Parties intend to vote for it including members Kinnock, Ashdown, Lexden and others such as Royall, and many Liberal Democrats and also cross-bench Peers.

Extracts from  Hansard of the debate on October 13^th can be read here

www/lefourquet.net/HOL-13-10-15.doc

        Obviously you can invent your own letter or add material to this one.  And when you get a good response do please acknowledge.

FOR those (all British Citizens) who are also European Citizens – this should interest you….. 

https://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/runner/EUCitizenship

To Register  to vote (if less than 15 years abroad) --https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

An Upgrade for British State Pensioners.

Important News for British State Pensioners.

Pensioners who were born before 6 April 1951 (6 April 1953 for women) now have a limited period in which to boost their entitlement to their current state pension.  They will be able to buy extra entitlements to their state pension of up to £1300 a year, for life. This will be achieved by making a lump sum payment in the form of voluntary class 3A NIC, between 12 October 2015 and 5 April 2017.

The exact amount that needs to be paid to receive each extra £1 per week of pension depends on the individual’s age at the time they make the payment. There is a table on page 5 of the state pension top-up factsheet, and an online calculator on Gov.uk to help with this calculation.

The ability to top-up the state pension may be particularly useful for women who have taken breaks from employment during their working lives, and for the self-employed with similarly patchy NIC records. Married couples will need to decide which person should make the top-up payment, as an income will be paid to a surviving spouse (or civil partner) of at least 50% of the topped-up amount.

Note the paragraph about customers (they mean pensioners) living overseas on page 3 of the factsheet.

State pension top-up factsheet

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/414708/factsheet-top-up.pdf

State pension top-up calculator for class 3A contributions

https://www.gov.uk/state-pension-topup

The first condition for the top-up is that the pensioner must already be in receipt of a UK state retirement pension.
  To register an interest:

email: paid.caxtonhouse@dwp.gsi.gov.uk or
tel: 0345 6004270

It will be important to register an interest as there will be no doubt an online system to make the payment that may require a person to prove identity. That might be more tricky for someone who lives outside of the UK. 

[Example - A male at the age of 83 could pay £11,350. IF he lives 15 years he would receive back a total of  £19,500 plus inflation increases on top. 
If his wife lives on, she would continue to receive at least 50% of the sum. The lump sum payable goes down as one ages and is also related to one's sex.]

Brian Cave
le Fourquet, Gourdon, 46300, France

http://pensionersdebout.blogspot.com/  

-Votes for Britons  -http://votes-for-expat-brits.com     

The BREXIT, the VOTE and you.

to go to the Index click here

I was sent a copy of an article in the September edition of The Central Brittany Journal (www.thecbj.com) by James Bell – “So what happens if Britain leaves the EU?”

After the Corbyn election as leader of the Labour Party, and the migrant crisis which is seriously affecting sentiment in the UK, the verdict in the Referendum becomes yet more problematic. The pendulum of the decision is swinging violently.

A large number of British Citizens in Europe (i.e. the EU) and elsewhere close their brains, and do not want to think about it.  Yet the tendrils of the British State affect all British Citizens – the so-called expats wherever they live.  I dislike the word ‘expat’. It is too often misspelled expatriot which indicates a rejection of links with one’s homeland. The word expatriate simply indicates that one lives outside of the borders of the homeland. 

But few of us would be living in France if it were not for the treaties signed between the UK and the EU.  James Bell observes that there are as many French living in SE England as Brits living in France. A ‘Brexit’ would affect both. The French in the UK are financially dependent on the UK, being young and active. But the Brits in France include a large contingent of pensioners (>63,000) also financially dependent on the UK.  We expect the British Government to ‘act in our name and in our interest’ when treaties and laws are framed.  How the hell can they do that when there is no adequate representation of our interests in the Westminster parliament?

If you do write to an MP they generally pass your message to some Department which replies with a garbage repetition of policy which gets sent back to you.  It is impossible to change policy unless some dedicated politician has YOUR interest at heart. Most care not a fig.

By default, the Westminster politicians, in effect directed by the Whitehall bureaucrats act as they see it – ‘in the interest of the Nation!’  What, one asks! is this Nation?  Is it the rivers, the hills, the towns and villages? Or is it the people, the men women and children who have an affinity with the State of Britain – The British People – wherever they live. Those of British nationality.

The affair of the Winter Fuel Payment is just one example of how the bureaucracy has become twisted to not care for the British citizen, but for the British treasury.  Balancing the books is essential, but it must be achieved in the fairest manner without discrimination.  The State pension affair is a further deplorable instance, where it is frozen for those who desire to live with their children in Australia and could well be frozen for us in Europe if the Brexit should arise [Corbyn is against the freezing!].  Health support is part of the treaties for the British pensioner in France and other EU countries. [see EU regulation 883/2004 on social security].  That could collapse. 

If Brexit came about, we would be foreigners in Europe and no longer EU citizens.  That could open ways for the French State to invent other impositions – An uncertain world would lie before us.

That is why we need Representation at Westminster.  For many of us who have lived outside the UK for more than 15 years we have not a chance of getting our voice heard.  For those who left the UK more recently you can vote.

The VOTE is not full ‘representation’. For that a reform of parliament is necessary. The total number of MPs need to be reduced, but in that re-organisation some space must be found for a few MPs who understand the life of the citizens abroad in the same manner as have the French and the Italians. They, who are resident in England, all have political representation in Paris or Rome!

But for now – our voice, such as it is, must be heard loud and clear in London.  We must vote to stay in the EU.  There are amongst us turkeys who would vote for the Christmas carve up.  But the younger as well as the older citizens will suffer uncertain times if the UK leaves the EU.

Mr. Cameron has promised us the VOTE-for-LIFE this session.  We still await that Bill to be tabled for debate. There are MPs who will say that we do not need it, do not want it, and that it is ‘inappropriate’.  We certainly need it.  We need it as a first step to full representation.

If you register to vote NOW, you will have a vote to stay in the EU. You will also be able to vote in the next general election.  You may get the right to challenge any position of the Government. 

There are those who say ‘I do not want to vote for a UK MP, I want to vote for a French député’.  That is a strong argument.  But why does it have to be an either/or choice?  Whilst you remain British the tendrils of the British bureaucracy stretch towards you.  You need to have a say in any treaty obligation that affects you. You need the chance to express your views to Government about anything that affects you as a British Citizen beyond the shores of the UK.

To claim your right to vote go to this link. It takes 5 minutes to complete it.

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

And when you have an MP – keep him/her occupied and argue with them by mail.

You could send them this item.
http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

The Winter Fuel payment - What one must do now.

To go to the index click here

Mr Frank Field MP DL, Chairman of the Select Committee for Work and Pensions  has replied to me, and he says.....

The Committee has no plans, at present, to investigate the specific matter you raise but I am always open to suggestions from colleagues. Might I suggest, therefore, that any friends or relatives of yours living in the UK should ask their local MP to take up this matter in the House?

This seems encouraging – it is then absolutely necessary to persuade individual MPs to write to Mr. Field, and through him to the Select Committee, requesting the Committee to include in their investigations the issue of the unnecessary hardship to be caused by the selective withdrawal of the WFP in September.  Encourage Friends and Relatives resident in the UK to do so also, for the sake of those less fortunate than yourselves, and in the cause of fairness and honesty.

Suggested wording of a letter to your MP:

*********************************************

To   XXXXX  MP.

Subject – WINTER FUEL PAYMENT.

Dear ------------------   I, as a constituent,  request that you write to Frank Field MP, Chairman of the Select Committee for Work & Pensions, on the basis of the following information:

From this September under the Statutory Instrument 3270 of  2014 introduced by Iain Duncan Smith as Secretary of State for the DWP, this benefit [WFP] is to be withdrawn from elderly British Citizens in 6 countries and one British dependency in the EU (below referred as 7 'countries').

The DWP is claiming that the withdrawal is justified by invoking a temperature check on these 7 'countries', in comparison with SW England but:

* There are many elderly British Citizens living in these 7 'countries' who are in need of the WFP.  Visit www.lefourquet.net/Hardup-dossier.doc  to read of some 17 of these citizens. It is apparent that they are discriminated against by the operation of SI 3270.

* 35 MPs signed the EDM 695 last year ‘praying’ that the SI 3270 be annulled. (11-Con- 12 Lab – 8 LD – 2 SNP – 1 Gr – 1 Ind.)

* There is evidence that these temperature checks have been falsely calculated, for example they include in the case of France, temperatures of Caribbean and Indian Ocean territories which are French possessions, but are not France. 

* It is further clear that the fact that winter temperatures in many districts of France and even Spain fall well below those in SW England.- Spain, Cyprus, Portugal (Estrela) and of course France. e.g. all have tourist ski resorts.

* Furthermore, winter temperatures in these countries all fall below that which require home heating to maintain health.

In addition, this is contrary to  EU Regulation 883/2004  ---- Article 7 which states:

Waiving of residence rules:

Unless otherwise provided for by this Regulation, cash benefits payable under the legislation of one or more Member States or under this Regulation shall not be subject to any reduction, amendment, suspension, withdrawal or confiscation on account of the fact that the beneficiary or the members of his family reside in a Member State other than that in which the institution responsible for providing benefits is situated.

Could you please write to Frank Field MP DL ..  within Parliament  requesting that the Select Committee for Work & Pensions considers in their investigations,  the hardship to be caused by selective withdrawal of the WFP from certain British pensioners resident within the EU in September.

****************************************

Please copy all the above between the lines of  ******* and send to your  MP.   You may of course add any extra material relating to yourself or your family and friends affected by this matter.

And as Frank Field MP suggests, encourage all your friends and relatives in the UK to do likewise.

 Find email and other addresses of MPs  here .... http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

The UK is Wrong to stop me voting

Within the last  few days (May 7th 2015) I have received copies of complaints from people about the non-reception of voting papers from as far apart as California, Massachusetts,  Norway,  and of course France and Spain.  The forum site SFN is loaded with more.  Why do people want to vote? The passion to do so is clear.  Yet so many politicians in the UK and so many residents there say ‘You have left the country – you don’t deserve to vote.’

A number of those who write to me are young and clearly intelligent.  They have the desire to see that Britain is a country of which they can be proud.  Oddly that archaic institution, The Royal Family, is the focus of so much of this pride.  At a dinner of expats the other day, most of whom could not vote because like me we left the UK over 15 years ago, the meal was interrupted with the cry ‘It’s a girl!’ and glasses were raised to Kate and her baby.  Why cannot the idiots at home realise that we, the citizens abroad, are all ambassadors of the British Nation!  It is we who foster the good will of the country. The ‘country?’ whatever that is – arises from the stupid confusion in the use of words.  We are not a country – hills and towns, a little offshore set of islands.  We are a Nation - a people of a common culture.  Just as the French are a Nation with a shared culture. And as the French passionately hold onto that culture wherever they live so do the British.  Whatever a Nation’s Government does in the world affects each and every citizen.  The Government acts in the name of ALL the citizens.  We are today no longer ‘subjects’ of that Royal Institution that we so much respect but ‘citizens’ with a shared interest in the welfare of  us all. 

Naturally, many of us have material interests for why citizens abroad want a say in the development of the UK.  All of us, young and retired, may wish or need to return.  We need a sound NHS and all the social support systems to be good.  For many, our income is based in the UK. Many are taxed in the UK. Most of us, of all ages, have family at ‘home’ and we have a care for them, for their welfare and education. Our lives depend on treaties between the States – A BREXIT could be a disaster.

For all these reasons we desire the vote.  But do you get the impression, as I do, that most Parties seek power for their own interest rather than the interest of the voter?

I hope that is a false impression, we need the Party in power to act with thoughts for the citizens everywhere. Yet have you heard any of them during this campaign utter a word of concern for the Citizen abroad? – We may be expatriates (out of the homeland), but by no means are we ex-patriots.

Brian Cave, a leading campaigner in the team for UK expat rights whose website is www.votes-for-expat-brits.com, explains why it is important to him to be able to vote even though he has lived abroad for many years

WITHIN the last few days I have received copies of complaints from people about the non-reception of voting papers from as far apart as California, Massachusetts, Norway and, of course, France and Spain.

The Connexion and expat forums have had even more.

So, why do people who no longer live in the UK still want to vote? The passion to do so is clear. Yet so many politicians in the UK and so many residents there say “You have left the country – you don’t deserve to vote.”

A number of those who write to me are young and clearly intelligent. They have the desire to see that Britain is a country of which they can be proud. Oddly, that archaic institution the Royal Family is the focus of so much of this pride.

At a recent dinner of expats, most of whom could not vote because like me we left the UK over 15 years ago, the meal was interrupted with the cry ‘It’s a girl!’ and glasses were raised to Kate and her baby.

Why cannot those at home realise that we, the citizens abroad, are all ambassadors of the British nation? It is we who foster the goodwill of the country.

The ‘country?’ - whatever that is. We are not a country – hills and towns, a little offshore set of islands. We are a nation - a people of a common culture. Just as the French are a nation with a shared culture. And as the French passionately hold on to that culture wherever they live so do the British.

Whatever a nation’s government does in the world affects each and every citizen. The government acts in the name of ALL the citizens.

We are today no longer ‘subjects’ of that Royal Institution that we so much respect but ‘citizens’ with a shared interest in the welfare of us all.

Naturally, many of us have material interests as to why citizens abroad want a say in the development of the UK. All of us, young and retired, may wish or need to return.

We need a sound NHS and for all the social support systems to be good. For many, our income is based in the UK. Many are taxed in the UK.

Most of us, of all ages, have family at ‘home’ and we care for them, for their welfare and education. Our lives depend on treaties between the States – a BREXIT could be a disaster.

For all these reasons we desire the vote. But do you get the impression, as I do, that most parties seek power for their own interest rather than the interest of the voter?

I hope that is a false impression, we need the party in power to act with thoughts for the citizens everywhere.

Yet have you heard any of them during this campaign utter a word of concern for the citizen abroad?

We may be expatriates (‘out of the homeland’), but by no means are we ex-patriots.
- See more at: http://www.connexionfrance.com/campaigner-Brian-Cave-expat-rights-vote-election-16926-view-article.html#sthash.Ebi4IyaW.dpuf

Brian Cave, a leading campaigner in the team for UK expat rights whose website is www.votes-for-expat-brits.com, explains why it is important to him to be able to vote even though he has lived abroad for many years

WITHIN the last few days I have received copies of complaints from people about the non-reception of voting papers from as far apart as California, Massachusetts, Norway and, of course, France and Spain.

The Connexion and expat forums have had even more.

So, why do people who no longer live in the UK still want to vote? The passion to do so is clear. Yet so many politicians in the UK and so many residents there say “You have left the country – you don’t deserve to vote.”

A number of those who write to me are young and clearly intelligent. They have the desire to see that Britain is a country of which they can be proud. Oddly, that archaic institution the Royal Family is the focus of so much of this pride.

At a recent dinner of expats, most of whom could not vote because like me we left the UK over 15 years ago, the meal was interrupted with the cry ‘It’s a girl!’ and glasses were raised to Kate and her baby.

Why cannot those at home realise that we, the citizens abroad, are all ambassadors of the British nation? It is we who foster the goodwill of the country.

The ‘country?’ - whatever that is. We are not a country – hills and towns, a little offshore set of islands. We are a nation - a people of a common culture. Just as the French are a nation with a shared culture. And as the French passionately hold on to that culture wherever they live so do the British.

Whatever a nation’s government does in the world affects each and every citizen. The government acts in the name of ALL the citizens.

We are today no longer ‘subjects’ of that Royal Institution that we so much respect but ‘citizens’ with a shared interest in the welfare of us all.

Naturally, many of us have material interests as to why citizens abroad want a say in the development of the UK. All of us, young and retired, may wish or need to return.

We need a sound NHS and for all the social support systems to be good. For many, our income is based in the UK. Many are taxed in the UK.

Most of us, of all ages, have family at ‘home’ and we care for them, for their welfare and education. Our lives depend on treaties between the States – a BREXIT could be a disaster.

For all these reasons we desire the vote. But do you get the impression, as I do, that most parties seek power for their own interest rather than the interest of the voter?

I hope that is a false impression, we need the party in power to act with thoughts for the citizens everywhere.

Yet have you heard any of them during this campaign utter a word of concern for the citizen abroad?

We may be expatriates (‘out of the homeland’), but by no means are we ex-patriots.
- See more at: http://www.connexionfrance.com/campaigner-Brian-Cave-expat-rights-vote-election-16926-view-article.html#sthash.Ebi4IyaW.dpuf