British citizens overseas to get right to vote

British citizens living outside their country, among whom over 40,000 are believed to live in Cyprus, are to be handed the vote in their country’s elections, following an announcement by the country’s ruling Conservative Party on Tuesday.

“Over three million British citizens living abroad have regained their right to vote in British general elections and referendums,” the announcement said.

Previously, British citizens lost the right to vote in their home country after 15 continuous years living elsewhere.

However, with the implementation of a new law, the party explained, “British citizens worldwide will be able to register to vote online regardless of how long they have been overseas.”

They will be registered in the parliamentary constituency of their most recent address in the United Kingdom and will be able to vote either by post or by sending a proxy voter to a polling station.

“From today, millions of British nationals across the world can exercise their right to vote in future general elections and have a say in the way their country is governed,” the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Levelling Up Michael Gove said on the change in the law.

The move looks set to be a last-ditch attempt by the country’s ruling party to win back some votes, as current opinion polling in the country looks less than favourable for the Conservatives.

At present, the Conservative Party, led by Rishi Sunak, trails the Labour Party by upwards of 15 per cent in opinion polls, and looks likely to face a historic landslide defeat at the next election.

The next United Kingdom general election is due to take place by January 28, 2025.