UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron has urged Britons living abroad to register to vote in the July general election by June 18.
He called on British citizens to use their lifelong right to vote in the July 4 election, saying decisions on foreign policy, defence and trade will directly affect their lives.
About five million Britons live abroad, and this year's election will be the first that more than half of them will be eligible to vote, after a law removed a 15-year cap on their rights.
This affects up to three million citizens living abroad who have either lived in or been registered to vote in Britain.
The UAE is the most popular country of residence for expatriates after Germany and Spain, with 240,000 British people resident in Dubai alone, according to the Expat Insider 2023 report.
“Britons living overseas are flying the flag for Britain abroad, and nearly all of them retain a strong interest in the UK,” said Lord Cameron.
“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.
“We have committed to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP [gross domestic product] 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 Britons abroad.
UK general election campaigning – in pictures
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Conservative leader Rishi Sunak speaks at party campaign event at the National Army Museum in London on Wednesday, July 3. AP Photo -
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer addresses supporters during a visit to the West Regwm Farm events venue in Whitland, Carmarthenshire, Wales, on the final day of election campaigning. PA -
Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey drives a tractor during a visit to Owl Lodge in Lacock, Wiltshire. PA -
Satirical political character Count Binface in London before challenging Conservative leader RishiSunak for the parliamentary seat of Richmond and Northallerton. Reuters -
Boris Johnson, former UK prime minister, campaigns for the Conservatives in London. Bloomberg -
Nigel Farage, leader of the far-right Reform UK Party, with heavyweight boxer Derek Chisora during a campaign visit to Clacton-on-Sea in eastern England. Reuters -
Mr Sunak holds a speech during his visit to Well Healthcare Supplies as he campaigns in Stoke. Getty Images -
Mr Starmer laughs as he speaks to supporters near Milton Keynes. AP -
Mr Davey bungee jumps during a visit to Eastbourne Borough Football Club in East Sussex. AP -
Mr Sunak bowls during his visit to Nuneaton Cricket Club. AFP -
Mr Starmer addresses an audience of Labour Party members and supporters during a rally at the Royal Horticultural Halls in central London. AP -
Mr Davey rides a towable inflatable during a visit to Lakeside Ski & Wake, in the Cotswolds. Reuters -
Mr Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty visit the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in London. AFP -
Mr Starmer during a visit to the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Hindu temple in Kingsbury, London. PA -
Mr Davey participates in a Zumba class with supporters in Wokingham. Reuters -
Mr Starmer speaking during a visit to Northampton Town Football Club at Sixfields Stadium. PA -
Mr Sunak delivers a speech in central London. AFP -
Mr Davey jet-washes an ambulance in London. Getty Images -
Mr Starmer rests his hand on the shoulder of Idris Elba as they meet families of knife crime victims, in west London. PA -
Mr Sunak turns on the power in the training centre control room during a tour of the Sizewell B nuclear power plant. AFP -
Mr Davey plays a game of Frisbee on a visit to a farm in Hampshire. AP -
Mr Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves visit a supermarket in Swindon. PA -
Mr Sunak speaks to journalists on the campaign bus following the launch of the Welsh Conservatives General Election manifesto near Rhyl. Reuters -
Mr Davey taking part in wheelbarrow racing at Huish Park, home of Yeovil Town football club in Somerset. PA -
Mr Farage speaks to the press in Clacton-on-Sea. Bloomberg -
Mr Starmer speaks at the launch of the Labour party's 2024 general election manifesto in Manchester. AP -
Mr Sunak answers questions from the audience in Grimsby. Getty Images -
Mr Davey toasts a marshmallow as he visits Willow Forest School in Surrey. EPA -
Mr Farage attends the launch of the Reform UK manifesto in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. Reuters -
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar launches Scottish Labour’s battle bus campaign on June 17 in South Queensferry, Scotland. Getty Images -
Britain's Labour Party politician and Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting speaks to a television crew outside the BBC in London. AFP -
Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, on the BBC 1 current affairs programme, Sunday, with Laura Kuenssberg. BBC -
Mr Sunak meets pupils in a maths class during a visit to the John Whitgift Academy, in Grimsby. AP -
Mr Starmer during a visit to Grimsby Institute, a technical training college in Grimsby. PA -
Mr Davey during a general election campaign visit to the Aqua Jungle Spot in Stratford-upon-Avon. Bloomberg -
Mr Sunak and Akshata Murty take centre stage at the Conservative Party's general election manifesto launch in Towcester. Getty Images -
Mr Starmer passes a toothbrush to a child during his visits to the Whale Hill Primary School in Middlesbrough. AP -
Mr Davey meets Steve Darling, Liberal Democrat candidate for Torbay and his guide dog Jennie at Torquay Harbour. Getty Images -
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage reacts after something is thrown towards him on the campaign bus in Cawthorne, Barnsley. AP -
Mr Sunak attends a neighbourhood watch meeting in Horsham, West Sussex. PA -
Mr Starmer helps volunteers pot plants during a visit to Harlesden Town Garden in north-west London. PA -
Mr Davey on the 'Rush' ride during a Liberal Democrats general election campaign event at Thorpe Park. Reuters -
Mr Sunak, during a visit to Imagination Childcare, in Swindon, Wiltshire, while on the election campaign trail. PA -
Mr Starmer visits Brent Cross town's visitor pavilion for a housing launch in London. Getty Images -
Mr Davey grills burgers in a garden, during campaigning in Wiltshire. PA -
Mr Sunak during a visit to Leander Club, in Henley-on-Thames, as a boat carrying Liberal Democrat supporters passes behind him. Reuters -
Mr Starmer meets pensioners to talk about the impact of the energy crisis and the cost of living, in a cafe in Bolton. PA -
Mr Sunak and Mr Starmer lock horns the first televised general election debate of the campaign, at MediaCity in Salford. PA -
Mr Davey plays Jenga using symbolic 'blue wall' blocks in Stockport. EPA -
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn poses outside Islington Town Hall, north London, after handing in his nomination papers for the general election, taking place on July 4. PA -
Mr Farage has a milkshake hurled at him during a campaign event in Clacton-on-Sea. EPA -
Mr Sunak launches the Conservative Party's campaign bus at Redcar Racecourse in north-east England. PA -
Labour launch their election campaign bus, with Mr Starmer, his deputy Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves, shadow chancellor, in Uxbridge. Getty Images -
Mr Davey holds a balloon with a figure that represents the amount of votes the Liberal Democrat party lost by in Wimbledon. PA -
Mr Sunak feeds lambs as he visits Rowlinson's Farm during a Conservative general election campaign event in Gawsworth. Reuters -
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Mr Starmer, shadow secretary of state for energy security and net zero Ed Miliband and local candidate Martin McCluskey in Greenock. PA -
Mr Sunak holds a question and answer session during a visit to Niftylift in Milton Keynes. EPA -
Mr Starmer serves ice cream to day trippers on Barry seafront in South Wales. PA -
Mr Davey takes part in a baking lesson with pupils from High Beeches Primary School during a half-term holiday camp in Hertfordshire. PA -
Mr Sunak speaks with a cafe worker as he picks up breakfast for the media at a cafe in Cornwall. PA -
Mr Starmer speaks at the launch of Labour's six steps for change in Wales at the Priory Centre in Abergavenny. PA -
Mr Davey and Anna Sabine, parliamentary candidate for Frome and East Somerset, ride the Ultimate Slip 'n' Slide at Eastcote Farm in Beckington. Bloomberg -
Scottish National Party Leader John Swinney speaks during a visit to The Dower House Cafe in Edinburgh. AP -
Rishi Sunak examines Jackal armoured vehicles during his visit to defence vehicle manufacturer Supacat in Exeter. PA -
Keir Starmer with a baby at Worcester City Football Club. PA -
Ed Davey rides a bike during a visit to Knighton, Wales. PA -
Nigel Farage at the cliffs in Dover after speaking at a Reform UK event. Getty Images -
Akshata Murty, wife of Mr Sunak, meets with residents during a visit to a Royal British Legion care home in Ripon. Getty Images -
Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves during a visit to Rolls Royce’s educational training complex in Derby. PA -
Ed Davey falls into the water while paddle boarding on Lake Windermere. PA -
Rishi Sunak campaigning in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. EPA -
Mr Starmer addresses party members and media in Lancing Parish Hall, West Sussex. Getty Images -
Mr Davey launches his party's general election campaign battle bus in Cambridge. PA -
Mr Sunak on the ball during a visit to Chesham United Football Club. PA -
Mr Starmer speaks to party supporters after making his first keynote speech of the campaign in Lancing. PA -
Mr Davey join supporters for a dog walk near Winchester. PA -
Mr Sunak visits a maritime technology centre in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as he campaigns for the general election on July 4. Reuters -
Mr Starmer and his Scottish counterpart, Anas Sarwar, greet supporters at the launch of the Scottish Labour general election campaign at Caledonia House in Glasgow. Getty Images -
Mr Davey, right, eats ice cream with his party's local candidate, Josh Babarinde, on the promenade in Eastbourne. PA -
Mr Sunak arrives at Inverness Airport, in Scotland, on the general election campaign trail. PA -
Mr Starmer during a visit to Gillingham Football Club in Kent. PA -
Mr Sunak speaks with members of staff at the Global Energy Group facility at the Port of Nigg in north-east Scotland. AFP -
Mr Davey during a visit to the town centre in Cheltenham. PA -
Richard Tice, the leader of Reform UK, attends an election campaign launch in London. AP -
Mr Sunak holds a Q&A with staff of a West Transport distribution centre in Ilkeston in the East Midlands. AP -
Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner and Mr Starmer arrive at Gillingham FC. Getty Images -
Mr Sunak takes questions from workers at West Transport. Getty Images -
Mr Starmer holds a piece of campaign branding at Gillingham. PA -
Mr Sunak poses for a selfie in Ilkeston. AFP
The act also extended the registration period from one year to three years. Secondary legislation to enforce these laws came into effect in January.
The change in law came after a challenge raised by Harry Shindler, a Briton who fought a 20-year campaign to end the 15-year limit on voting rights, taking the case to the European Court of Justice.
Mr Shindler, who died in February aged 101, said the UK was “not a complete democracy” until all British people were given the right to vote.
To register, British citizens must provide their national insurance number and last UK postcode.
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 by a trusted proxy or by post.
Who can vote
You must be either a British citizen, or an eligible Irish citizen registering to vote in Northern Ireland.
Registration
The first step is registration.
In Northern Ireland, registration is completed by a paper form but it can be done online for the rest of the UK.
To register, British citizens must provide their national insurance number and last UK postcode.
Local authorities, which are responsible for the electoral roll in their area, must be able to verify their identity and connection to the area.
Contact details for the relevant local council are available via the commission's postcode tool by entering the postcode of your last address in the UK.
Votes will be counted at the last UK address they were registered to vote at or lived at.
How to vote – proxy or post
After registration, voters can choose whether to vote by proxy or post.
The government recommends anyone who lives abroad to apply to vote by proxy if the election or referendum is less than two weeks away.
This means you will ask someone who is already a registered voter to vote on your behalf. They must be eligible to vote in the election and bring their ID.
