Thursday, 07 February 2013 16:14
Register to have a voice
CONSERVATIVE MP NIGEL Evans urges expats entitled to vote in Britain to register and make their voice heard as the country heads for a referendum on European Membership.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, who represents Ribble Valley in Lancashire, was in Javea last weekend to meet members of Conservatives Abroad and underlined the importance of continuing to vote under the controversial 15 year rule.
He explained that under current legislation expats are entitled to vote in UK general elections for 15 years after leaving the country – a rule currently under review after complaints from people denied a say by a government which decides their tax, inheritance and pensions.
Nigel, who was elected vice-chairman of the party with special responsibility for Conservatives Abroad, believes the investigation could prompt new legislation and changes in voting rights.
He told RTN his role was to work within the current law that allowed people a vote in the constituency where they were last on the electoral register for 15 years after leaving the UK.
The next General Election in Britain is 2015 – the Coalition Government introduced fixed five year Parliaments – and Prime Minister David Cameron has already promised a referendum on EU membership for the next term.
DELIVER
“There will be a referendum in five years time,” he said. “Firstly there has to be renegotiation of Britain’s membership – we will know in that time what David Cameron wants to renegotiate and what he wants to deliver.
“And it also gives a long time for people to argue the case. We want less heat and more light – after five years the heat will have gone out of the situation and we will be left with the light and people can make their decision on facts not fiction.”
He said when the UK originally voted to join Europe in 1975 it was very much “a free trade block that allowed freedom of movement to work.”
However, Nigel said the Treaty of Rome had brought closer union “and bit by bit it has changed and morphed into what it currently is and we know it will morph into something even deeper.”
He said the Prime Minister was saying there will an opportunity to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU. “Just like France and Germany wish to link finances together and want more of a federal state, Britain doesn’t.
“If they want to continue down that path, they should be allowed to do so – but they must recognise that we in the UK want to follow a different path too. We want to renegotiate things that are better done in Britain as an individual country.”
BRUSSELS
As an example, Nigel said decision making on something like the 48 hour week should be done in the UK rather than Brussels.
“David Cameron wants the UK to be part of the EU but a different EU – he doesn’t want Britain to leave the EU.”
Nigel added that other members of the EU had the opportunity to renegotiate their own “path” within Europe.
“My own view is before signing the Lisbon Treaty, the UK was promised a referendum – the reason Mr Blair said ‘no’, and they trumped up a reason, was because he knew 70% of British people would have voted ‘no’,” he said.
“And that would have been a desperate crisis for the whole of Europe. Mr Blair knew if the UK had voted ‘no’ that would have been it.”
Pictured is Nigel accepting cheque for 1,500€ for Conservatives Abroad from Javea Branch Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers.
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, who represents Ribble Valley in Lancashire, was in Javea last weekend to meet members of Conservatives Abroad and underlined the importance of continuing to vote under the controversial 15 year rule.
He explained that under current legislation expats are entitled to vote in UK general elections for 15 years after leaving the country – a rule currently under review after complaints from people denied a say by a government which decides their tax, inheritance and pensions.
Nigel, who was elected vice-chairman of the party with special responsibility for Conservatives Abroad, believes the investigation could prompt new legislation and changes in voting rights.
He told RTN his role was to work within the current law that allowed people a vote in the constituency where they were last on the electoral register for 15 years after leaving the UK.
The next General Election in Britain is 2015 – the Coalition Government introduced fixed five year Parliaments – and Prime Minister David Cameron has already promised a referendum on EU membership for the next term.
DELIVER
“There will be a referendum in five years time,” he said. “Firstly there has to be renegotiation of Britain’s membership – we will know in that time what David Cameron wants to renegotiate and what he wants to deliver.
“And it also gives a long time for people to argue the case. We want less heat and more light – after five years the heat will have gone out of the situation and we will be left with the light and people can make their decision on facts not fiction.”
He said when the UK originally voted to join Europe in 1975 it was very much “a free trade block that allowed freedom of movement to work.”
However, Nigel said the Treaty of Rome had brought closer union “and bit by bit it has changed and morphed into what it currently is and we know it will morph into something even deeper.”
He said the Prime Minister was saying there will an opportunity to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU. “Just like France and Germany wish to link finances together and want more of a federal state, Britain doesn’t.
“If they want to continue down that path, they should be allowed to do so – but they must recognise that we in the UK want to follow a different path too. We want to renegotiate things that are better done in Britain as an individual country.”
BRUSSELS
As an example, Nigel said decision making on something like the 48 hour week should be done in the UK rather than Brussels.
“David Cameron wants the UK to be part of the EU but a different EU – he doesn’t want Britain to leave the EU.”
Nigel added that other members of the EU had the opportunity to renegotiate their own “path” within Europe.
“My own view is before signing the Lisbon Treaty, the UK was promised a referendum – the reason Mr Blair said ‘no’, and they trumped up a reason, was because he knew 70% of British people would have voted ‘no’,” he said.
“And that would have been a desperate crisis for the whole of Europe. Mr Blair knew if the UK had voted ‘no’ that would have been it.”
Pictured is Nigel accepting cheque for 1,500€ for Conservatives Abroad from Javea Branch Chairman Gaile Griffin Peers.
Published in
This Week
Thursday, 21 June 2012 15:48
Once a Brit, always a Brit
TO SAY that overseas residents have no desire to vote is simply not true, according to Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Right Honourable MP for the Cotswolds. The comment was made during a debate in the Houses of Parliament on Monday afternoon which called for the amendment of voting rights for British subjects abroad.
RTN watched the debate in the House of Commons on a live stream via the internet and was interested to learn that of the 4.3 million people British citizens living abroad, only 23,388 of them are actually registered to vote; a fact that shocked most of the MPs in the House.
“The French have created a European constituency,” said the MP, “to facilitate its national subjects that live abroad and they are able to vote for one of a number of parliamentary deputies allocated to expatriates, so why can’t Britain?”
COMPLICATED
Mr Clifton-Brown then went onto suggest ways of making, what he considers a ludicrously complicated system in which to register to vote, easier for everyone. He also suggested using the voters’ British passport number in which to register to vote or even the Foreign Office’s LOCATE system, which allows Brits abroad to register their contact details in cases of emergency.
One MP, who was in agreement with the amendment to the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, said: “In the US, once you are an American, you always are an American and can vote wherever you live in the world. Other countries such as Germany have outreach programmes to enhance voter registration.” Another suggestion was that on passport application forms for British citizens abroad, people are asked whether they would like to vote and then registration forms can be sent to the address on the passport form.
DISAPPOINTING
A staunch supporter of Brits abroad having the right to vote is Margaret Hales, Chairman of Conservatives Abroad, Javea Branch. She sent a letter to Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, asking why he was not supporting the amendment.
She told RTN: “Stirred by the wonderful scenes of support for the Queen on her Jubilee, I had to put pen to paper and ask Mr Clegg why he had the views he has.”
The Liberal Democrat leader supports the existing legislation including the removal of the right to vote after 15 years of living abroad, which Margaret finds reprehensible. She said: “It especially saddens and greatly disappoints me that, as a man who has personal experience, through his wife, of nationality and citizenship that he should get this so wrong.”
At the end of the debate, the Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform, Mark Harper MP, agreed to take on board Mr Clifton-Brown’s suggestions before the full debate next week.
RTN watched the debate in the House of Commons on a live stream via the internet and was interested to learn that of the 4.3 million people British citizens living abroad, only 23,388 of them are actually registered to vote; a fact that shocked most of the MPs in the House.
“The French have created a European constituency,” said the MP, “to facilitate its national subjects that live abroad and they are able to vote for one of a number of parliamentary deputies allocated to expatriates, so why can’t Britain?”
COMPLICATED
Mr Clifton-Brown then went onto suggest ways of making, what he considers a ludicrously complicated system in which to register to vote, easier for everyone. He also suggested using the voters’ British passport number in which to register to vote or even the Foreign Office’s LOCATE system, which allows Brits abroad to register their contact details in cases of emergency.
One MP, who was in agreement with the amendment to the Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, said: “In the US, once you are an American, you always are an American and can vote wherever you live in the world. Other countries such as Germany have outreach programmes to enhance voter registration.” Another suggestion was that on passport application forms for British citizens abroad, people are asked whether they would like to vote and then registration forms can be sent to the address on the passport form.
DISAPPOINTING
A staunch supporter of Brits abroad having the right to vote is Margaret Hales, Chairman of Conservatives Abroad, Javea Branch. She sent a letter to Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, asking why he was not supporting the amendment.
She told RTN: “Stirred by the wonderful scenes of support for the Queen on her Jubilee, I had to put pen to paper and ask Mr Clegg why he had the views he has.”
The Liberal Democrat leader supports the existing legislation including the removal of the right to vote after 15 years of living abroad, which Margaret finds reprehensible. She said: “It especially saddens and greatly disappoints me that, as a man who has personal experience, through his wife, of nationality and citizenship that he should get this so wrong.”
At the end of the debate, the Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform, Mark Harper MP, agreed to take on board Mr Clifton-Brown’s suggestions before the full debate next week.
Published in
Stories
Thursday, 21 June 2012 15:21
Model making
RTN READERS have a final chance to help pick the young hopefuls to represent the UK in a prestigious international model competition being staged in Benidom on 28th July.
A boy and a girl from the excited finalists will go forward to compete in the Best International Model 2012 – and the chance of winning a 2,000€ cash prize and a year-long modelling contract with a Gibraltar-based agency.
However, after narrowing the field down to a final nine – four boys and five girls – the judges need a little help from readers. All they have to do is pick their favourites from today’s paper and email the choice to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the name of the model in the subject field. The winners will be announced in RTN on Friday 6th July.
The July competition is part of Benidorm’s glamorous Costa Blanca Fashion Week – first held in 2003, last year’s event was a huge success and this year it promises to be even bigger and better.
The competition and fashion week are organised by Sukier Model International and RTN was asked to help discover new faces to represent the UK and compete against youngsters from around the globe.
An overwhelming response from people dreaming of a modelling career led to judges deciding RTN readers should have an input and join the fun, perhaps helping someone on the journey to the top.
It was decided an X Factor-style finale was the fairest way to choosing the finalists, who will go forward to compete on the catwalk on 28th July.
A boy and a girl from the excited finalists will go forward to compete in the Best International Model 2012 – and the chance of winning a 2,000€ cash prize and a year-long modelling contract with a Gibraltar-based agency.
However, after narrowing the field down to a final nine – four boys and five girls – the judges need a little help from readers. All they have to do is pick their favourites from today’s paper and email the choice to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the name of the model in the subject field. The winners will be announced in RTN on Friday 6th July.
The July competition is part of Benidorm’s glamorous Costa Blanca Fashion Week – first held in 2003, last year’s event was a huge success and this year it promises to be even bigger and better.
The competition and fashion week are organised by Sukier Model International and RTN was asked to help discover new faces to represent the UK and compete against youngsters from around the globe.
An overwhelming response from people dreaming of a modelling career led to judges deciding RTN readers should have an input and join the fun, perhaps helping someone on the journey to the top.
It was decided an X Factor-style finale was the fairest way to choosing the finalists, who will go forward to compete on the catwalk on 28th July.
Published in
This Week
Thursday, 28 May 2009 19:32
Vote Europe
Spain goes to the polls on Sunday June 7th to elect 54 representatives to the heart of Europe’s powerhouse, the European Parliament. Since joining the European Union in 1986, the country has remained a loyal supporter of Brussels and, along with Ireland, benefitted most from funding flowing out to member states.
Published in
This Week
