Jason MoorePalma17/02/2018 00:00
TW
2

Good afternoon from sunny Spain where all expats are millionaires and spend their days living the dream with a gin and tonic in their hand. This appears to be the perception some people have of expat Brits back in Britain. Now, we all know that this is far from the truth. Making a living in Spain is not easy and, on average, wages are lower than in Britain. Sacrifices have to be made to live in the sun and that is the truth.

I have never really understood why Britons should surrender all their rights when they move abroad. Many are opposed to expat Britons being given the vote for life because they feel that as they do not live there they should not have a say in how the country is run. Of course Britons are directly affected by decisions made in Britain. The incomes of many expats including thousands of pensioners were hit when Britain voted for Brexit, which led to the fall in the value of sterling. The only people (so far) who are feeling the direct affects of Brexit are Britons living overseas. But still there is opposition to expats getting the vote for life.

As I have said in this space before, I do believe that expat Britons should be able to vote in Spanish general elections or at least be given the option of voting in Britain or in Spain. Yes, just because you leave Dover it shouldn't mean that you should forget all your rights because you are enjoying a so-called “charmed lifestyle”. As long as you are a British citizen you should continue to be able to have your say.