BECAUSE THE 15-YEAR RULE PREVENTS ME!
Despite the fact that I am a British citizen and paid my National Insurance contributions in full to age 65 I am prevented from voting by the fact that I have lived overseas (in the Far East) for more than 15 years so I have lost my voting rights.
Why should I care? Not only may I return in the near future but I have family in the UK, mainly in Wales, and I am concerned at what lies ahead for them in an isolated United Kingdom. In fact it might not even be ‘United’ for long.
It is so frustrating seeing what has happened in the past three years and not being able to stop it. If you are fortunate enough to be eligible to vote make sure you use it. Every single vote counts and yours could be the one that decides the outcome in a close-call election.
Why do I consider this issue so important? Here are just a few of my reasons:
- I was born in the early part of WW2 and although only four years old towards the end of the war remember quite vividly the dreaded sound of air raid sirens in my home town near Cardiff. One of the objectives that gave birth to the EU was the freeing of Europe from similar wars in the future. And it succeeded.
- The UK was not welcomed into the EU initially with open arms. DeGaulle no doubt saw it as a challenge to his own personal dominance. But the UK finally was admitted and now all the efforts to get us into Europe are being undermined.
- A vote for Boris means not only a vote for Brexit but also one for Trump and Putin.
- Trump would like to see Europe fragmented so he could bully isolated countries with his trade and sanctions policies.
- Putin would love to see the break-up of Europe in retaliation for the humiliating disintegration of the Soviet Union. A weakened Europe would help his expansionist ambitions.
- Brexit will potentially lead to an angry Scottish majority demanding separation from the UK.
- There is a real risk of a return to the dark days of the ‘troubles’ in Ireland if Brexit goes ahead.
- After Brexit, who will support the UK should Spain press its desire to challenge the status of Gibraltar? Sending a gun boat down there isn’t going to work.
- What friends will Britain have left to support it if its authority is challenged in any part of the world?
Finally I would make the point that if you (who have the right to vote) can stop Brexit I believe the reasons that drove so many to support it should be addressed in order to bring the country together again. And the UK should take a more proactive part in the running of the EU. But that’s the next step. In the meantime my final message:
If, unlike me, you have the right to vote, make sure you use it to prevent the country from going back in time and losing all its friends.
Good luck to all of you on the 12th!