UK citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years are to get the right to vote in general elections.
The announcement was made in the fine print of the Budget, with £2.5m put aside to fund the change and is reported here on the BBC website.
Those affected will be allowed to vote in the constituencies where they lived before leaving the country.
(NB The BBC has the confusing habit of referring to Britons in Europe as "expats" but EU citizens in the UK as "migrants" )
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The campaign to end the 15-year rule has been led by Harry Shindler MBE a 99-year-old WWII veteran who settled in Italy around 40 years ago. Reacting to the news he tweeted:
"It's very good news that the UK's 15 year rule is ending as part of #Budget2021. We fought to defend our right to vote in WW2 and now we will get a chance to use it. This is an important day for freedom.:
We have long campaigned for the abolition of the 15 year rule and we welcome this development:
Help Harry Get His Vote Back, New Europeans (2014)
If we can win for Harry, we can win for all those who were denied a vote in the European Elections in 2019 and secure a public inquiry into #DeniedMyVote and the long term voting rights of EU citizens in Britain.
Help us to keep campaigning by chipping in what you can to our appeal.
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With thanks for all you are doing to support our democracy.
ROGER CASALE and the team at New Europeans