Bremainers Ask……. Tom Brake

Bremainers Ask……. Tom Brake

Mar 31, 2025 | Bremainers Ask, News

 Tom is Director of Unlock Democracy – a not-for-profit organisation campaigning for democratic reforms including PR, House of Lords reform, greater transparency and accountability of government and a written constitution. Tom also chairs a coalition of twelve organisations campaigning for proportional representation.

Previously he was a Member of Parliament for over 20 years, a government minister for three years and was Liberal Democrat Brexit Spokesperson in Parliament from 2017 to 2019. 

Michael Soffe : Do you believe the time will ever come when we overseas voters will have our own constituencies?

Yes, but not in this Parliament. To make it happen, firstly we need to make sure all MPs know what overseas constituencies are and why UK citizens overseas would be better served by overseas MPs than the current arrangement. This is the phase we are in. Then we need to get overseas constituencies as a policy into the Labour and Conservative manifestos (it is already Lib Dem policy) for the next General Election. The final phase will be to pass legislation in the next Parliament. This timetable is feasible but exacting. 

Ruth Woodhouse :  Do you believe that the outrageous behaviour of Donald Trump and the increasing unreliability of the US could speed up the process towards a strengthened UK-EU relationship?

Yes, I am confident that it will have this effect. 

The UK and the EU’s pro-Ukraine stance is driving this process and is already having this effect on UK-EU military relations. The UK’s pre-eminence as an arms manufacturer should put the UK in a strong position as Europe seeks to develop more effective joint procurement to re-equip its armies. This will require deeper cooperation between the UK and the EU.

Trump’s attacks on the international rules-based order are also driving the UK and the EU closer together. As an example of this, the US opposed a European-drafted resolution condemning Moscow’s actions and supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity in the UN General Assembly. The UK and France then abstained on a US drafted resolution at the UN Security Council which called for an end to the conflict but contained no criticism of Russia.

However, were Trump to launch a trade war against the EU, but not the UK, this could trigger a cooling of UK-EU relations, particularly if the UK appeared to side with Trump or remained silent on the issue.  

Mike Phillips: With Trump’s recent betrayal of security guarantees for Ukraine, how best can Lib Dems encourage Starmer to give greater priority to strengthening links with Europe?

Trump’s actions are already making it clear to Sir Keir Starmer that the UK needs to strengthen its links, at all levels, with the EU.

To encourage Sir Keir Starmer, the Lib Dems should express vocal support for any UK/EU warming of relations, press him to go further than he would like and continue to speak out loudly (in a way it is difficult for the UK Government to do) against the chaos Trump is creating around him. 

Anon :  Some pro-Europeans are holding out for full EU membership while others are fighting for incremental changes to the Brexit deal. Which approach is likely to be more effective? 

The most effective approach in my view would be to gradually rebuild relations with the EU, start to make incremental changes that improve the Brexit deal, increase the UK’s limited influence over the EU and stop any UK legislative changes that could lead to further divergence.

This is the most likely route to rejoining the EU in the medium to long term. It would also mean we had demonstrated our reliability and commitment over a number of years, reducing the risk in the eyes of the EU that the UK is an untrustworthy partner who shouldn’t be allowed to rejoin. It would also give us the time to work on highlighting the benefits of EU membership, so we are in a strong position to fight the inevitable referendum. 

David Eldridge : What is the chance of electoral reform happening after the next election?

With all the smaller parties in favour of electoral reform, and the Labour party membership and trade union movement (if not the Labour leadership) backing PR, support for PR is growing. 

Add to that a two-party system that is splintering, leading to an increased likelihood of no party having a majority in the next Parliament. To form a government the larger party would require a coalition with a smaller party, which would likely seek PR as part of an agreed programme of government.

But to guarantee reform, we need the general public to be talking about electoral reform as one of the solutions to the UK’s longstanding and most intractable problems and putting pressure on the government for change. This isn’t happening at scale yet. Making PR the subject of supportive dinner table conversations is our biggest challenge and our best chance of ensuring PR for Westminster is in the next Labour manifesto.

Steve Wilson : With Labour MPs and members at odds with the government regarding Brexit and PR, do you think we can expect a change of approach before the next election?

The government are focused on delivering their five missions, with a sixth recently added, to boost the UK’s security and defence.

Although growth is central to its overall mission, and reversing some of the most damaging aspects of Brexit would be the quickest way to achieve growth, so far it looks as though the government is still too scared of ‘red wall’ voters to suggest any rapprochement that could be described as undoing Brexit. It has also painted itself into a corner by saying no single market, no customs union, no freedom of movement. So, I expect incremental improvements in UK/EU relations, not a big bang (see my answer to Ruth Woodhouse’s question).

For the answer on any change of approach to PR, see my answer to David Eldridge.

What do you consider Unlock Democracy’s greatest achievement, and your greatest challenge going forward?

Unlock Democracy’s greatest recent achievement is to have regained some of the visibility and influence it achieved in the years after it was first launched in 1988 (it was then called Charter 88). Unlock Democracy is now in regular conversations with government officials and MPs about a range of democratic reform issues, including automatic voter registration, postal votes for overseas voters, votes at 16, and foreign funding of UK politics. We expect a number of policies we have been campaigning for to be included in an Elections Bill which should be published in the next six months.

Our greatest challenge going forward is to broaden our support base so we can reach millions of people, rather than hundreds of thousands. This will be needed if we are to achieve electoral reform but also to reduce the UK’s vulnerability to a Trumpian-style insurgent government which denigrates and downgrades UK democracy and institutions.  

Lisa Burton : Do you think if Britain was to change its voting method from FPTP to a type of proportional representation it would remove some of the tribalism and help restore trust in politics?

PR isn’t a panacea. Introducing PR won’t, on its own, restore trust in politics. This will require action on a number of fronts. It will require:

  • a period of stable government
  • evidence the government can deliver
  • an absence of newsworthy scandals involving MPs

However, PR would help on all of these fronts: 

  • providing more continuity in government than First Past The Post (FPTP) voting which is leading to more and more unpredictable and potentially extreme outcomes 
  • delivering more effective government with evidence that countries with PR are healthier, wealthier, have less income inequality and are more serious about tackling climate change than countries with FPTP

offering fewer safe seats leading to less risk-taking by MPs. 

On the subject of tribalism, PR for Westminster elections is likely to lead to coalition governments. Coalitions require parties to work together. This builds relations between politicians from different parties. It also means the policy solutions they design have to have wider electoral appeal. It may also reduce the chance that policies which coalition partners worked on together get scrapped after an election in which one of the coalition partners loses its seat at the Cabinet table.

Next month

Caroline Lucas was the UK’s first Green Party Member of Parliament between 2010 and 2024, and before that served for 10 years in the European Parliament.  She has also served as both Leader and Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.  She is a writer, campaigner and keynote speaker, with a particular interest in the role of education and the arts in mobilising action on the climate and nature emergencies.  She has won numerous awards for her work: in 2020 she topped the list of the BBC Radio Woman’s Hour One Planet Power List of influential activists, educators and campaigners, and in 2024 the UK’s largest sustainable business awards scheme presented her with its Lifetime Achievement Award.

She is Co-President of the European Movement, and a Trustee of the Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne.  Her latest book, a Sunday Times bestseller, is Another England: How to Reclaim our National Story.

If you would like to submit a question(s) for Caroline, please email us no later than Tuesday 8 April.

Freedom of speech – a basic human right that is under threat

Freedom of speech – a basic human right that is under threat

Mar 26, 2025 | Bylines, News

While claiming to champion free speech, Trump and Vance’s actions both at home and abroad tell a very different story, writes Bremain Chair Sue Wilson MBE for Yorkshire Bylines. 

Politicians of all political persuasions acknowledge that freedom of speech is a fundamental human right. But they often disagree on who is allowed to exercise this hard-won civil liberty.

For the far-right – and Donald Trump’s America in particular – the right to free speech is reserved only for those who share the same undemocratic views. While touting the importance of free speech at every opportunity, President Trump, Vice President Vance, and their sidekick Elon Musk have done everything they can to limit opportunities for dissent.

Speak freely, but only if you agree with me

Whether it’s threatening journalists with prosecution, slashing funding for universities that allow peaceful protests, or attacking anyone who tries to protect their First Amendment rights, the Trump government attacks opinions that don’t align with its policy. This is despite Trump declaring, without a hint of irony, in his State of the Union address that he had “stopped all government censorship and brought back free speech in America”.

One of the latest casualties of Trump’s crackdown on “radical propaganda” is the cancellation of federal funding for the Voice of America. The international news organisation, which reaches hundreds of millions of people worldwide every week, was set up during World War II to counter Nazi propaganda. All 1,300 employees have been put on paid leave. This seems to be part of a broader trend to undermine independent media. But who needs a free, independent press anyway? Certainly not Trump, Vance or Musk.

Europe in their sights

But the hypocrisy doesn’t stop at US borders. As if the attacks on democracy and freedom at home weren’t bad enough, the US government is also attacking Europe. While restricting the freedom of Americans to express themselves openly, JD Vance accused Europe, while attending a security conference in Munich recently, of depriving its own citizens of freedom of speech. For good measure, Vance also criticised European governments for ignoring the will of the people (now, where have I heard that before?) and for failing to halt the immigration of undocumented people. According to Vance, Europe has retreated from its “most fundamental values – values shared with the USA”.

JD Vance, "The entire idea of Christian civilisation that was formed in Europe"

"Europe is starting to limit the free speech of their own citizens"

"If Germany allows more immigrants come in from countries that are totally culturally incompatible with Germany, Germany will have killed itself"

[image or embed]

— Farrukh (@implausibleblog.bsky.social) 15 March 2025 at 15:18

No sooner had Vance attacked European values abroad than the insult was repeated on American soil. When a French researcher was expelled from the States for expressing a “personal opinion” on Trump himself, it sparked a diplomatic row.

The academic, who had his personal laptop and mobile phone confiscated, was on an assignment for the French National Centre for Scientific Research. He was accused of sending “hateful” and “conspiratorial” messages that reflected “hatred towards Trump” and could be “described as terrorism”.

How this fits with the CIA’s definition of terrorism – “the calculated use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective” – is anyone’s guess.

Seems that Trump’s boast to have: “brought free speech back to America” only applies if he agrees with what is being said.

www.lbc.co.uk/world-news/d…

[image or embed]

— Otto English (@ottoenglish.bsky.social) 20 March 2025 at 07:49

The UK must avoid making the same mistakes

While the threat to free speech and expression in the UK may not match the insane levels of undemocratic activity in the US, there are some worrying signs. For example, according to Human Rights Watch, the British government is failing to uphold our democratic freedoms, particularly the right to peaceful protest. Furthermore, legislation requiring universities to take “reasonable steps” to promote free speech – the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 – looks likely to be scrapped.

Our own far-right politicians, whether of the Reform UK or Tory variety, have also proven time and again that they are in favour of free speech – but only their own, not that of their opposition. Heaven help any minority or ‘woke’ commentator who expresses an alternative opinion.

Freedom of expression is a basic human right that should be defended at all costs. We can only hope that our own government learns the lesson and doesn’t follow the far-right of the US or the UK down an undemocratic path.

Dr Martin Luther King Jr said the ability to speak one’s mind was no less a human right than is freedom from more painful and obvious abuses. Although the French writer and philosopher Voltaire may not actually have coined the phrase, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it” it remains the acid test of such freedoms.

Even Musk said, back in 2023, “If we lose freedom of speech, it’s never coming back”. How ironic then that he, Trump and Vance are now trying so hard to take that right away.

We face growing threats to free speech. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves if we can afford to let this right be eroded by those who claim to protect it.

Bremainers Ask……. Graham Hughes

Bremainers Ask……. Graham Hughes

Feb 28, 2025 | Bremainers Ask, News

Graham Hughes is a campaigner, adventurer, filmmaker, television presenter and Guinness World Record holder, and was the first person to visit all 193 United Nations member states across the world without flying.

 Michael Soffe : Name your three greatest losses caused by leaving the EU and which of the three would you like to get back first?

From a purely selfish point of view, I’d like my career back. I used to present travel shorts and promos for companies across the EU. They were well-paid gigs and had me doing what I enjoy most: waking up somewhere new, presenting to camera and encouraging people to travel from a position of unique insight. Since Brexit, the offers declined, and now that I’d need a work permit, the offers have stopped entirely.

The second thing, which affects almost all of us, is how we can no longer freely travel around our own continent anymore. There are restrictions, and compromises have to be made. I can no longer even dream about retiring by the Med.

Finally, and again possibly selfishly, the cultural loss is something I take personally. There are the bands and singers, artists and dreamers who can no longer tour freely around our continent – the thousands of songs we’ll never hear, stories we’ll never read, films we’ll never see, all as a direct consequence of Brexit.

As a scouser who didn’t attend a private school, it really annoys me that the people who told us to vote for Brexit were almost all (to a man) members of that posh, pampered, privileged elite for whom this sort of thing isn’t a bother. They’ve lost NOTHING. They can afford the work permits, the visas, the residencia. Farage’s kids have German passports, Johnson’s dad lives in France, Tommy Ten Names has an Irish passport. No skin off their noses.

So yeah, what do I want more than anything? My freedom of movement. I want that back. I don’t see why it should be the reserve of the feckless, braying, inbred English neo-aristocracy.

Lisa Burton : How much more difficult would it be now, post Brexit, to visit all 193 UN member countries as you did previously?

It would be even more of a headache, that’s for sure. I mean it’s great that once I’m in the Schengen Area, I’ve got 29 countries I can visit without having to wait for 17 hours at each border, but what about the overseas territories of the EU that I had to pass through in order to complete my journey… Martinique, St Martin, Reunion, New Caledonia etc.? It would all add up. What if I went over my 90 days in 180?

Back when I was setting my Guinness World Record in 2010, the British passport was the most powerful in the world, something that gave me a bit of an edge to complete my mission. It no longer is. Furthermore, I don’t know if I could rely on representatives of EU countries coming to my aid if I got into a sticky situation – something they did when I was in Cape Verde and Congo.

I don’t think Brits who have rarely travelled outside of the EU know what it’s like crossing a “normal” border. They were lulled into a false sense that the freedoms we enjoyed, to buzz around our continent at a whim with minimum fuss were a given, that’s what it’s like everywhere, right? No

Anon : Of all the 193 UN member states you visited, which have made the most indelible impressions on you?

That’s a tricky one… since they all did! Sometimes for bad reasons, but more often for the best of reasons. Places like Egypt, Bolivia, Madagascar, Ethiopia, Thailand hold a special place in my heart, but it was Iran that really stood out. Terrible government for sure, but the people I met were just amazing. I got adopted everywhere I went!

My favourite memory of the entire journey was when I was on an overnight bus from Shiraz to Khorramshahr, and the little old lady sitting in front of me, who only spoke Farsi, passed me her phone. I put it to my ear, and the guy on the other end of the line introduced himself as Seyed, and told me (perfect English, by the way) that I was sitting behind his grandmother. She had called him because she was concerned about me. You see, the bus got in very early the next day, around 5am. She thought that I’d have nothing to do and nowhere to go. So, she wanted to know (if it was okay with me) if she could take me home with her and make me breakfast.

I get a bit teary when I recount that. Faith in humanity… restored!

Iran is also where I picked up my favourite saying: “Always be kind to strangers, for one day you might be the stranger.”

Steve Wilson : What lessons could the UK learn from other nations about democracy and dealing with far-right extremism?

I think there is a line that must be drawn, where people who don’t believe in democracy are not given a democratic platform.

Two things that I think are urgent: Firstly, clamping down on the misinformation and disinformation in the traditional media and on social media. We need press reform and robust legislation to curtail hate speech online. Hold the platforms accountable. Ofcom needs teeth, newspaper barons and the likes of GB News should no longer get away with spreading their lies and poison without any meaningful consequences. Germany is a good example of a place where Nazism is clamped down on hard (notwithstanding the recent AfD vote) and it’s against the law to deny or downplay the Holocaust.

Secondly, we need to equip our populations with the tools they need to spot bullshit wherever it appears. Finland does a great job with this, teaching kids in primary school how to identify fake news. Kids can then pass on what they’ve learnt to their parents, to their grandparents. It’s why Finland is the least likely place in Europe, and possibly the world, to fall for Russian propaganda etc.

 

EU Flag

Valerie Chaplin : How can we fight Starmer and his #MakeBrexitWork mantra?

Lobby Labour MPs. Most of them are decent people and want what’s best for the country. But be smart: going in all guns blazing demanding Brexit be reversed (although that’s what we all want to do) isn’t going to get us anywhere. Think about what moves we can realistically take with regards to greater cooperation with the EU: common defence strategies, youth mobility schemes, reviving Erasmus, joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean (PEM) convention, a return as a full member of Euratom etc.

Every step on that journey is another step closer to rejoining the EU. But, don’t forget, we don’t just need Labour onside to make this happen, we need the vast majority of Brits onside as well, and while the number of people who think Brexit has gone well is declining by the day, there are still a sizeable number of “loonies” (to use the scientific term) who would defend even an imperfect Brexit like it was their firstborn.

Helen Johnston : The Government is failing to call out Trump and Musk and publishing Reform-style ads boasting “Labour hits 5-year high in migrant removals”. Where do we go from here?

Yes, it blows my mind. However, this is precisely why I’m not a politician. No way could I be diplomatic in the face of such provocation from the likes of Trump and Musk.

I guess Starmer has made the calculation that prohibitive tariffs placed on British goods entering the US would massively impact the UK economy, already reeling from Austerity, Brexit, Covid and Truss, and that our defence capabilities rely heavily on American hardware and software… so play nice, flatter the Mango Mussolini, while quietly plotting an exit strategy (one that I hope takes us back to our true friends in the EU).

As for those bloody ads… urgh. What were they thinking?!! I run a YouTube channel called Politics Social, and one topic that comes up more often than not when I’m chatting to Phil Moorhouse, Mike Galsworthy, Femi Oluwole, Marina Purkiss etc., is just how utterly dire Labour comms are. They make the marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation look competent!

Those of us that have a bit of a platform are trying our best to encourage Labour to see how they’re coming across to the vast majority of us voters. My hope is that they get their act together in the next few years in time for the next election.

I want a Labour Party that works on the principles of the people who vote for them, not one that operates out of fear of those who do not.

Ruth Woodhouse : I understand you have stood as an independent candidate and as a candidate for the Liberal Democrats. Would you consider standing as a Rejoin EU candidate should the opportunity arise?

To be brutally honest, if there was a danger of me actually being elected, I wouldn’t have stood! I don’t want to be a politician, and I don’t think I’d make a particularly good one (not least because of the reason I gave in my last answer… I’m far too hot-headed).

As for Rejoin EU, I’m a bit torn. Since we live in a first-past-the-post system, there’s the argument that it takes the sensible vote away from other centre and left-wing parties, without any realistic chance of getting in an MP. That being the case, I would prefer to work with the rejoin wing of the Lib Dems or the Labour Movement for Europe in order to effect change from within the established parties. But yeah, if we had Proportional Representation, I would be more inclined to stand. Can’t say I’d make a “good” MP though!

David Eldridge : Do you think the UK will rejoin the EU one day and if so, what would the process and timescale be?

Yes. Absolutely. Of that I have no doubt whatsoever. I see it as inevitable. A geographic, historic, socio-economic certainty. There’s very little I’m thankful to that Wotsit Wanker in Washington for, but if he’s achieving anything right now, it’s frog-marching the UK back into the arms of our lovely neighbours. So, er, thanks for that, you Spray-Tan Satan.

Coupled with Vladimir Putin’s barbarous designs on the free peoples of Europe, I can see Reunification Day edging ever closer with each and every unhinged headline I read about the MAGA Mafia currently running America into the ground.

I think we’ll see more UK-EU cultural, economic and military agreements over the next four years, and when Trump refuses to leave the White House (I can’t see him ever leaving that place unless it’s in a box), the need for us to return home to the EU will become more pressing than ever.

I can see the 2029 election being fought on closer integration with the EU: single market, customs union, a free movement deal and perhaps even a legally binding referendum to rejoin in 2030.

If you had asked me that question a few months ago, I would have said a rejoin referendum in the 2034 Labour and Lib Dem manifestos was an outside possibility, but with that Tangerine Twat tearing up all international norms, that timeline is accelerating by the day.

Turns out, even the most toxic of clouds can have a silver lining…

Thanks for your questions. That was fun! Slava Ukraini.

Next month

Tom Brake is the Director of Unlock Democracy. He was an MP for 20+ years, a government minister for 3 years and was the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Brexit from 2017 to 2019. If you would like to submit a question for Tom, pleased do so by email, no later than 8 March.

Votes for Life – Improving Representation for Brits Abroad

Votes for Life – Improving Representation for Brits Abroad

Feb 19, 2025 | News, Votes for Life

Update 19 Feb 2025
Proxy Vote

CAMPAIGN FOR OVERSEAS CONSTITUENCIES

In conjunction with New Europeans, Unlock Democracy and other campaign groups – and following the return of our democratic voting rights – Bremain is campaigning for dedicated MPs to represent Britons living abroad.

On January 15 2025, our chair Sue Wilson attended the Citizens’ Rights APPG in Westminster to discuss the Overseas Constituencies campaign with parliamentarians. Since then a parliamentary briefing has been sent out to all MPs and peers outlining the rationale for Overseas Constituencies.

We would like to acknowledge the role of the Bremain Lobby Team in extensively lobbying parliament in this regard. Thank you!

 

The rationale for dedicated MPs for Brits abroad

  • UK based constituency MPs understand little of the issues faced by Britons living abroad, and quite naturally focus their attention on local constituency matters
  • Britons abroad are more likely to be engaged with national UK matters than with constituency-specific issues
  • Dedicated representation by MPs who understand the issues would ensure the voices of overseas voters would be heard
  • Better representation would likely result in increased numbers of Britons abroad registering to vote in the UK
  • At least 17 countries – including EU countries such as France, Italy, Croatia, Romania and Portugal – already have fully functioning overseas constituencies
Update 23 May 2024
Proxy Vote

The Prime Minister has announced a General Election scheduled for Thursday 4 July, just 6 weeks away.

If you have yet to register to vote, you will need to act quickly, as the deadline for the receipt of registration applications is Tuesday 18 June – 12 working days before the poll. As applications in some constituencies are taking up to 4 weeks, please act now to avoid disappointment.

You can Register to Vote online – the process is simple & straightforward & should only take 5 minutes.

We strongly recommend using a proxy if you are unable to vote in person. Applications for a proxy vote close on Wednesday 26 June (6 working days before the poll). You can apply online or by post but you must be registered to vote before starting the process.

For further details re the requirements for registration & proxy voting, please read on.

We’ve waited long enough for the return of our democratic voting rights, so act now & make your vote count!

Update 24 March 2024
Proxy Vote

Voting by Proxy

Now our voting rights have been restored, it’s time to consider how to cast your vote as a British citizen abroad.

If you are unable to vote in person in the UK, then we strongly recommend voting by proxy as postal voting has proved very unreliable in the past & your vote may not arrive in time to be counted.

 

How to apply & what you need

Once you have registered to vote, there are 2 ways to apply for a proxy – online or by post.

Before you start the process, you will need your:

  1. N.I. number or other ID, e.g. birth certificate
  2. Details of your Proxy: name, address, contact details
  3. Digital signature (a photo)

The government have produced as Easy Read Guide that explains the process in more detail.

 

Who can act as your proxy?

You need to appoint someone you trust to act as your proxy who is:

  1. 18 years or over
  2. Registered & eligible to vote

Further information is available from the Electoral Commission: How to vote by proxy

If you are unable to find a friend or family member to act as your proxy, you can approach your local political party. They have a vested interest in finding someone to act on your behalf.

Important note: If you applied for a proxy vote before 31 October 2023, this expired on 31 January 2024 so you need to apply for a new one.

Tens of thousands of Brits abroad have already registered to vote, according to the government’s Register to Vote Dashboard.

If you are not one of them then please read on for all the relevant information on how & where to register. Please don’t wait until an election is announced as the registration process alone is taking up to 4 weeks in some constituencies.

 

Update 11 January 2024

Since Bremain in Spain’s inception, regaining our right to vote in UK elections has always been a high priority. After years of campaigning, the 15-year rule has now been overturned and our right to vote in UK elections has been re-established, regardless of where we live

Effective from 16 January 2024, you will now be able to register to vote in UK elections, regardless of how long you have lived abroad. British citizens, eligible Irish citizens and citizens of Crown Dependencies can register as overseas voters as long as they:

  • were previously registered to vote in the UK or
  • were previously resident in the UK

Get ready to register

Before starting the process of registration, you will need to have access to proof of your ID and your former UK address.

To prove your ID you will need to provide your National Insurance (NI) number and your date of birth. If you have a British passport (current or expired), you will need to scan it for ID purposes. If you have lost your NI number, you can search for it here

To prove your address you will need to provide documentation containing your full name and address details. Acceptable documentation includes:

  • a UK driving licence (current or expired)
  • correspondence from HMRC or the Dept. for Work and Pensions
  • council tax statement/demand
  • credit card statement
  • utility or mobile phone bill
  • letter from an insurance company
  • P45 or P60 form or payslip
  • bank/building society passbook
  • local authority rent book

 

In the event that you are unable to provide satisfactory evidence of your ID and former UK address, you will have the option of providing an attestation. You will need to ask someone (not a close family member) to attest to the details you provide. Your attestor must be over 18 and registered to vote in the UK, but they do not need to be a UK resident.

 

How to register

You can register to vote from overseas online on the government website here

When applying to register, use the last address where you were registered as a UK resident. If previously registered to vote at more than one UK address, use the most recent address at which you were registered.

Any eligible voters that previously resided in the UK, even as children, but have never been registered to vote, can apply using their last UK address.

Details provided will be verified by local authorities who are responsible for the electoral role in their area.

Once registered to vote, you will need to renew your registration every three years (previously annually), before 1 November.

An easy read guide on the registration process is available here

 

Feedback

We would be very interested to hear about your experiences in registering to vote using the government website. The process will be straightforward for some and more complex for others, but it is important that we understand how it works for you, and any issues that need resolving. Any feedback, good or bad, of your experiences of the registration process can be emailed to us at: enquiries@bremaininspain.com. We will be sure to feed back any issues to the DLUHC and the Electoral Commission in order to improve the process.

 

With a general election looming over the horizon, please do not wait to get yourself on the electoral register. The return of our democratic voting rights has been a long, hard-fought campaign, and the UK has never needed a new government more than it does right now. So, exercise your democratic rights and register to vote now!

 

Useful links

Electoral Commission: Overseas Voters- Resources for British Citizens Overseas

Electoral Commission: FAQs

British Embassy – Living in Spain – Voting

LibDems Abroad: Brits Abroad and Brits Abroad Q&A

British in Europe: Get ready to vote – your FAQs

 

Update 14 December 2023

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has now confirmed the date from which the voting franchise will be extended to all overseas voters.

The “15 year-rule” will effectively be removed – for those previously registered to vote, or previously resident in the UK – as of 16 January 2024, from 12.30 a.m. – via the Register to Vote website.

In the meantime, we recommend that those who are currently disenfranchised from voting start collecting their proof of ID (NI numbers, passports etc) and proof of their last UK address/electoral registration and scan them ready for upload to the government website. 

Further detailed instructions on the process, and the acceptable documentation, will be available here nearer the time.

Update 31 October 2023

New arrangements for voting by post and by proxy come into immediate effect as of today. Those already registered to vote in UK elections can now apply online to vote either by post or by proxy.

Once your form has been downloaded and completed, it is then sent off to the Electoral Registration office for England, Scotland or Wales or for Northern Ireland 

If you are living in the UK, you can download the application forms here

For those living abroad, apply online here

If you have not exceeded 15 years abroad, then you can also use the above link to register/re-register to vote. Those that have exceeded the 15 year period should be able to register to vote in January 2024 when the secondary legislation is finalised.

Update 26 October 2023

Progress has now been made regarding the secondary legislation required to further the restoration of our overseas voting rights.

On 23 October, the government published the Statutory Instrument on overseas voting regulations. These now require the approval of parliament before being signed into law, and will be considered by both House of Commons and House of Lords committees. The process usually takes no more than 8 weeks, so is expected to be finalised by early January 2024.

The next step will then be registration for disenfranchised overseas voters, likely to start before the end of January, as scheduled.

Update 9 October 2023

Following our latest discussion with the Head of Secondary Legislation, Registration & Franchise Division, at the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities, we are pleased to be able to confirm the following:

  • The department is still on track to progress the necessary secondary legislation this Autumn
  • The legislation will be laid & debated with the intention that the necessary changes to overseas voting rights come into force in January
  • Voters who are currently eligible can continue to register as usual, and from January onwards
  • Newly eligible voters – that were previously denied a vote under the 15-year rule – will be able to apply to register from January onwards
Update 21 June 2023

Votes for Life – Overseas Electorate Roundtable

On 21 June 2023, Bremain Chair, Sue Wilson, attended a meeting with Baroness Scott of Bybrook, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). The online meeting was also attended by officials of the DLUHC Elections Directorate, who Sue had met with earlier this year.

Speaking on behalf of the disenfranchised overseas electorate were representatives from a variety of campaign organisations, including Conservatives Abroad, LibDems Abroad, Labour International and British in Europe.

Secondary legislation

Before parliament can approve the new legislation, there will be a consultation with the Electoral Commission, who will provide further scrutiny of the plans and processes. The expectation remains that the secondary legislation will come into force in January 2024, enabling the registration process to begin.

Registration process

Changes are being made to:

  • ID verification process
  • Franchise criteria
  • Application forms

Each change is aimed at making the process easier and quicker for existing and new overseas voters, and to maintaining the integrity of the electoral process. These changes will apply to all UK parliamentary elections, including any bi-elections.

Renewals & Absentees

When re-registering to vote (every 3 years in future, rather than every year as at present), the process will allow for concurrent re-registration for proxy or postal voting. A reminder will be issued in advance to those already on the electoral register, and a new “light-touch” renewal declaration will speed up the process.

A new process for postal/proxy voting applications will be available online. For postal voting, pre-paid “international business response” envelopes will be supplied by Royal Mail – these envelopes are suitable for all international use and widely recognised abroad.

Following the meeting, Sue said, “it was reassuring to learn that the plans outlined to me in March are progressing well, and the previously quoted timescales still stand. It was a pleasure to meet Baroness Scott and her team who are clearly dedicated, well informed, and efficient. It is clear that all concerns raised by Bremain, and other campaign groups, have been listened to and acted upon. Restoration of our democratic votes rights is now well under way.”

A further roundtable meeting will be held in the Autumn.

For further information, read the earlier updates or visit the government website: Overseas electors: Delivering ‘votes for life’ for British expatriates

 

 

 

 

Update 23 March 2023

On 23 March 2023, Bremain Chair Sue Wilson attended a meeting at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to discuss the restoration of full democratic voting rights to Britons living abroad.

The meeting was with officials from Elections Directorate at the DLUHC in Westminster.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the next steps, the process and to establish the timescale. This is what we learned ……….

Secondary legislation

In order to restore full voting rights following the passing of the Elections Act by Parliament, secondary legislation will be necessary.

This will take place in the Autumn session of parliament 2023 with the intention of delivering ‘votes for life’ ahead of the next General Election. The secondary legislation to deliver the overseas electors change is expected to be made and come into force in January 2024.

Improvements to the registration process

To facilitate voting arrangements, the process of registration will be made simpler, and the frequency of re-registration will be extended from 1 year to (up to) 3 years. An online registration service will be complemented by the introduction of an online absent vote (postal or proxy) application process.

As soon as the changes come into force, newly enfranchised electors will be able to apply to register to vote. We will then be encouraging our members to act quickly, rather than wait until an election is announced.

The franchise of eligible voters will be extended to include all of the following British citizens, regardless of how long they have been living abroad:

  • those previously registered to vote in the UK
  • those previously resident in the UK

In addition, those that left the UK before they were old enough to register to vote will no longer have to rely on the registration status of their parents/guardians.

 

The verification process

The process will require the verification of both personal identity and a previous UK address.

Regarding identity verification, this could be established, as now, via a check of applicants’ details (including NI number) against DWP records, or if that is not possible, via documentary evidence, such as a UK passport. Failing that, an attestation (a declaration that certain facts are true) from a suitably qualified elector (not a close family member) would be acceptable.

Re address verification, if it is not possible for an Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) to verify an address by a register check, other options will be available, such as documentary evidence from a bank, building society, utility company, tax office or a variety of other organisations. A full list is available online (see below). Failing that, an attestation – as with ID verification – would be acceptable.

Following the meeting, Sue said, “I came away from the meeting impressed with the level of detail provided, the comprehensive nature of the planning and preparation, and the understanding of the issues we face as overseas voters. I was impressed with the knowledge and abilities of the people I met and with their willingness to engage with us and to listen to our concerns. Now, bring on the next election, but not before next spring, please!”

For further information, go to the government website: Overseas electors: Delivering ‘votes for life’ for British expatriates

 

Update 28 April 2022

The Elections Act has received Royal Assent and has now become law. It will allow British citizens abroad to vote in UK elections, by removing the 15-year limit. It will also extend the annual re-registration requirements to just once every three years.

In response to an enquiry regarding overseas voters’ measures in the Elections Act, the Electoral Commission said, “The Government has not yet made the legislation necessary to bring these changes into force, and we do not expect them to come into force before summer 2023. More detail on the implementation of these measures is expected to come from the government in the coming months.”

You can read the Government’s announcement re the passing of the Elections Act here

You can read an article written by Bremain Chair, Sue Wilson, on the passing of the Elections Act here

Update 01 Oct 2021

Our campaign for the restoration of our voting rights, and the scrapping of the arbitrary 15-year rule, moved a little closer to fruition this month. The controversial Elections Bill, which includes the government’s manifesto promise to restore our voting privileges, has made some progress through parliament. On 7 September, the bill passed the Second Reading in the House of Commons.  

On 22 September, the Committee stage began, and is scheduled to continue on 19 October. You can watch the latest proceedings on Parliament TV here. 

In tandem with the passage of the bill through the Commons, the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) started its Elections Bill Inquiry. Many campaign groups submitted evidence to the committee, Bremain included. 

We asked our members why their vote was important to them and used many of your testimonies in our report. Many thanks to all those that contributed. You can read about our presentation of evidence to the committee here, in an article by our Chair, Sue Wilson.  To read our evidence report in full, click here 

Update 28 July 2021

The date for the second reading of the Elections Bill has been announced as 7 September, at 12.40 BST.

The second reading is the first opportunity for MPs to debate the general principles of the Bill. At the end of the debate, MPs will vote on whether they think the Bill should proceed to the next stage – the Committee Stage.

You can follow the progress of the Bill here

You can watch the debate live on Parliament TV, or watch a recording after the event here

Update 27 July 2021

On 26 July, the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) announced a new enquiry into the controversial Elections Bill.

The bill includes government plans to introduce voter ID at polling stations, the aim being to “protect the integrity of elections”. However, many campaigners have argued that election fraud is extremely rare, and the bill is a solution to a problem that does not exist.

Committee Chair William Wragg said:

 

“These proposals make significant changes to the implementation of and potentially participation in elections. It’s natural that they are properly interrogated and claims by the Government that the plans would protect our democracy are tested before implementation. Although few would argue against shoring-up our electoral system in principle, it’s critical to ensure that it is done correctly, that it is fair, and that it is necessary to do so.”

Of course, the bill also includes the long-awaited restoration of democratic voting rights for Britons living abroad, affected by the arbitrary 15-year rule. We are encouraging our members to write to their MPs with their views on the Elections Bill – good and bad – and we will be presenting evidence to the committee in due course.

You can read more about the proposed enquiry here

You can read more about PACAC here

If you wish to submit evidence to the committee, you can do so here. The deadline is 31 August 2021.

Update 21 July 2021

Veteran campaigner, Harry Shindler OBE, has been fighting for the restoration of our democratic voting rights for 25 years. 
On 17th July 2021, he celebrated his 100th birthday. Bremain could not let this occasion pass un-noticed, so we asked our members and other campaign groups to join us in sharing our good wishes.

Bremain members contributed to our birthday book. You can view the book & read our members’ comments here

Campaign groups across the UK & the EU contributed to our dedicated video, which you can view here

We wish Harry a very happy birthday, & many more to come.

Update 07 July 2021
On 5 July 2021, the government bill set to restore our democratic voting rights was finally brought before parliament. A government press release stated that the new legislation was designed “to strengthen the integrity of UK elections and protect our democracy”, and included this aim:

“To increase participation in our democracy, the Bill will deliver the longstanding commitment to remove the arbitrary 15 year limit on overseas electors voting in UK Parliamentary general elections.”

The Elections Bill is proving controversial, though not because of the scrapping of the 15-year voting rule. The cause for concern is the planned introduction of voter ID, which threatens to disenfranchise many further voters, and is regarded by many as undemocratic and unnecessary.

Bremain will be following the passage of the new bill with great interest, and will provide regular updates.

More information on the Elections Bill is available on the official government website here.

You can also access updates on the Parliament website here, including the latest government publications and details of the bill’s progress. The government describe the bill thus:

 

“A Bill to make provision about the administration and conduct of elections, including provision designed to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process; about overseas electors; about voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens; about the designation of a strategy and policy statement for the Electoral Commission; about the membership of the Speaker’s Committee; about the Electoral Commission’s functions in relation to criminal proceedings; about financial information to be provided by a political party on applying for registration; for preventing a person being registered as a political party and being a recognised non-party campaigner at the same time; about regulation of expenditure for political purposes; about disqualification of offenders for holding elective offices; about information to be included in electronic campaigning material; and for connected purposes.”
For further information:

Read the Elections Bill in full here 

Read the Explanatory Notes here 

Read the Elections Bill Impact Assessment here

Update 27 May 2021

The government officially announced today that British citizens who have moved abroad will be given ‘votes for life’ as the UK Government scraps the arbitrary 15-year limit on the voting rights. All British citizens who are living overseas who have been previously registered or previously resident in the UK will be able to vote in UK Parliamentary General Elections. In addition, the new rules will mean overseas electors can stay registered for longer requiring them to renew their registration details once every three years, rather than annually.

Overseas electors will also be able to reapply for a postal vote or refresh their proxy vote at the same time as renewing their voter registration, streamlining the process and helping to ensure they have appropriate voting arrangements in place ahead of an election. These changes, which will form part of the Elections Bill will come into effect in time for the next scheduled General Election in 2024.

Update 12 May 2021

Since the 2010 General Election and each subsequent election, the Conservative party have pledged to repeal the fifteen year rule and provision was made in this year’s Budget in March.

In yesterday’s Queen’s Speech, as part of the Electoral Integrity Bill, the commitment to remove the fifteen year rule was announced.

Update 4 March 2021

After months of inactivity, it seems the British government’s manifesto commitment – to scrap the 15-year rule – is finally taking a step forward.

The Electoral Integrity Bill – which includes the restoration of the democratic voting rights of millions of Brits abroad – will form part of this spring’s Queen’s Speech.

There was further good news in the Budget yesterday. If you look closely at the small print on page 48, you will find reference to additional funds set aside expressly for the purpose of securing our #VotesForLife 

2.41 Overseas Electors – The government is providing an additional £2.5 million to remove
the limit preventing British citizens who live overseas from voting after 15 years.

You can read an article by Sue Wilson about the bill in the Yorkshire Bylines here

Open letter to the home secretary

Open letter to the home secretary

Feb 19, 2025 | Bylines, News

Labour’s cruel asylum plans betray refugees, court the far right, and risk their own downfall – it’s time to change course, write Bremain Chair Sue Wilson MBE for Yorkshire Bylines. 

Dear Secretary of State for the Home Department,

I am writing in regard to the latest government proposals regarding asylum seekers. Your plans – which are both cruel and incomprehensible – aim to deny those already granted legal asylum the right to apply for British citizenship.

The proposal to remove the right of citizenship from anyone who has “arrived illegally” or via a dangerous route, may have hit the headlines, but for all the wrong reasons. Not only will the plan further the demonisation of vulnerable refugees but seems destined to usher in a return of the ‘hostile environment’ – something we had hoped to have seen the last of with the demise of your Tory predecessors.

I can only assume this is yet another desperate Labour attempt to court right-wing voters, even as you visibly haemorrhage support from a public far more tolerant of freedom of movement than you are. What you may also have failed to notice is that the support you are losing is emanating from the left, not the right.

Yet more performative cruelty. This means someone who fled for their life 25 yrs ago, got refugee status in the UK, and has been part of their community here ever since – maybe married, had kids, started a business – can never be a citizen. That’s not right.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article…

[image or embed]

— Carla Denyer (@carladenyer.bsky.social) 12 February 2025 at 12:15

Flying in the face of reason

According to the Refugee Council, over 70,000 former refugees could be prevented from being granted citizenship by this new proposal. A decision, they say, that “flies in the face of reason” and for which there has been no debate in parliament. I therefore urge you to read the Council’s official statement, and to reconsider, as they have suggested.

With the exception of the far right, it would appear the idea is also unpopular in Westminster. Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party has described the plan as “performative cruelty” and commented that it takes no account of how long or engaged an immigrant has been in British society. Human rights campaigner, Labour Lord Alf Dubs, described the move as “shocking” and “small-minded”. Not only was it “a mean-spirited gesture”, he said, but it “would not deter anyone”.

Even Labour’s own Stella Creasy says the move would deny a refugee “a place in our society” making them “forever second-class”. I assume that is not your intention.

This should be changed asap.

If we give someone refugee status, it can't be right to then refuse them route to become a British Citizen. To say they can have a home in our country, but never a place in our society and be forever second class. freemovement.org.uk/good-charact…

[image or embed]

— Stella Creasy MP (@stellacreasy.bsky.social) 11 February 2025 at 16:01

Concessions welcome but not enough

Many refugees granted asylum will have been in the UK for years, if not decades. Many will be married, with children, working or running businesses and well-integrated into British society. Those who arrived in the country as children could, at least in theory, be allowed to apply for citizenship. But in the current political climate, will immigration caseworkers be willing to take a stand and use those discretionary powers to make those exceptions?

Children are being exempted from the government's obscene ban on refugees becoming citizens. Progressives should keep pushing. Concessions are possible. Write to your MP.
inews.co.uk/news/politic…

[image or embed]

— Ian Dunt (@iandunt.bsky.social) 12 February 2025 at 19:53

While any concessions you would be willing to make would be welcome, I really can’t see how this sow’s ear of a policy could possibly be turned into a silk purse. Surely, it would be better to get ahead of the political, media and public pressure and dump this controversial policy now.

Have Labour lost the plot?

If one incomprehensible plan to outdo Reform UK and the Tories on immigration wasn’t bad enough, then there’s your inexplicable and expensive plan to film and share the deportations of failed asylum seekers. In a move that’s worthy only of Farage or Trump, it’s understandable why migration expert Zoe Gardner would ask “has Labour finally lost the plot?”. It’s a question that many of us have been asking ourselves, and one for which there seems to be only one answer.

Has Labour finally lost the plot & lost the progressives once & for all?

VIDEO DEPORTATIONS: Reform & Labour voters REACTION youtu.be/NAjl2Pe8z44?…

[image or embed]

— Zoe Gardner (@zoejardiniere.bsky.social) 12 February 2025 at 18:17

Not only is the whole approach dehumanising, but it could destroy trust within migrant communities. Surely the staggering cost of the scheme would be better spent on clearing the asylum backlog, fixing asylum accommodation issues and rebuilding migrant communities damaged by last year’s race riots.

Not what we voted for

After 14 years of Tory rule, a Labour government – especially one with a large majority – was a welcome relief. The country had high hopes of the much-hyped “change” that the prime minister repeatedly promised us.

We didn’t assume that things would change overnight. We weren’t expecting miracles. But we did at least hope the new government would distance itself from the policies of the right and far right.

We expected compassion, decency and common sense. We dreamt of an honest debate about the value of immigration to our society and our economy. We even dared hope for the introduction of safe routes for asylum seekers. Instead, we have had to deal with a government increasingly afraid of its own history and its own shadow.

I don’t doubt that there is genuine concern in government about the growth of the far right and the threat they present in the polls. However, jumping on the far-right bandwagon is not the answer – surely the demise of the Tory party is proof enough of that.

No, there is only one way to beat the Farages and Trumps of this world, and that is to expose them for what they are, and by demonstrating to the country – and the world – that there is a better way.

You must not allow compassion, decency and honesty to go out of fashion, or your party will inevitably suffer the same fate. And it will be nobody’s fault but your own.

Yours sincerely,

Sue Wilson MBE