Expat Brits banned from voting

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Expat Brits banned from voting - campaign update

Written by Paul Rees

Voting Following on from the article 'Expats banned from voting' we have received an update from the movement's coordinator Brian Cave.

Original article http://algarvedailynews.com/features/lifestyle/4438-expats-banned-from-voting

We have received an update from the movement's coordinator Brian Cave which reads:

We are at an important fork in the road of the history of democracy. The circumstance is as important as the votes for women. Nowadays not to allow women to vote would be considered primitive. The authoritarian line taken against the women petitioners - the suffragettes - by the UK Government was barbaric. Now, it is just as primitive not to allow all British citizens to vote. The vocal attitude of some in Britain to widening the suffrage at this time is likely to be as barbaric and unthinking. If Britain takes the wrong road then the reputation of Britain for democracy will be grievously wounded.
The communication revolution has shrunk the world and British citizens from Australia to London are equally aware of what happens in Britain. Nearly all (I doubt if there any who are not) are affected [and have always been so- even if only in a small degree], by the decisions of the House of Commons' parliamentarians and Whitehall bureaucrats. Whatever is decided in Britain reverberates round the world and no British citizen can be unaware or unaffected. The blog item below expands on this.

http://pensionersdebout.blogspot.com/2011/08/to-all-british-expatriates-everywhere.html

Some of you have added names to the petition Votes for Britons -http://votes-for-expat-brits.com
Many have not. I earnestly beseech you to do so now.
The petition web site is mounted by a small team of expatriates representing 'Labour International' (Dr. Sylvia Moore) and 'Conservatives Abroad' (Christopher Chantrey). others have joined the team - Graham Richards with huge experience in developing the campaign to get fair compensation for Equitable Life investment victims is one and another is Anita Rieu-Sicart, editor of Var Village Voice. The Labour International Branch at Geneva and neighbouring France is developing ideas for further action.
The following MPs and Peers have supported the principle of this campaign. Conservatives - Roger Gale, William Hague Labour- Diane Abbott, Denis MacShane, Martin Linton, Bill Bret (peer), , Lib Dems - Charles Kennedy, Paddy Ashdown (peer) .
But it is a truly huge herculean and almost impossible task task to make expatriates around the world aware of this campaign. We can only contact the majority through the portals of web-sites and media outlets. The internet is a great tool for democracy in the 21st century, but unfortunately there are those portals which are blind to the significance of this.
Nevertheless we have made a good start.
Read, on the web-site, some of the 200+ comments from around the world, and you will realise the resentment that other British citizens feel in being denied representation in Westminster.
Please support.

In demonstration, as a response to our messages, The Telegraph has mounted the following - based on an article by Anita.