Lord David Cameron has urged Britons living abroad to register to vote in the General Election.
The Foreign Secretary advised the estimated five million Britons living overseas to use their lifelong right to vote in UK elections, saying that decisions taken towards a secure future on foreign policy, defence and trade will directly affect their lives.
All that UK citizens living overseas need to do is visit
gov.uk/registertovote
to register with their national insurance number and last UK postcode and the cut-off date to register to vote is June 18.
Their votes will be counted at the last UK address they were registered to vote at or lived at, and they can exercise their democratic right to vote via a trusted proxy or by post.
If they opt for a postal vote, all they need to do is ensure it is posted in time to make it to the polling station.
Lord Cameron said: “Britons living overseas are flying the flag for Britain abroad, and nearly all of them retain a strong interest in the UK.
“Now, thanks to this Conservative Government, all of them can vote in the General Election – no matter how long they’ve lived abroad. So, I encourage them to sign up to have their say.
“It is so important to do this, because this summer’s General Election will be one of the most important in our lifetimes. With threats rising across the world, Britain needs a clear plan and bold action.
“We are living in a world more dangerous, more volatile, more confrontational than most of us have ever known. We need to face up to that fact and act accordingly. Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives will.
“We have committed to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence by 2030, and we’ve led the world in our support for Ukraine. Here at home, we’ve got inflation down, we’ve got a growing economy, and we’ve been able to cut national insurance. The ship is much steadier. ”
The Elections Act 2022 amended the law to remove the 15-year limit, introducing “votes for life” for British expats.
The Act also extended the registration period, from one year to three years. Secondary legislation to implement these new laws came into effect in January.