On October 8, Alistair Lexden spoke briefly at the annual conference of Conservatives Abroad, the official Party organisation which—under the leadership of its Chairman, Heather Harper, and her small dedicated team—played an immensely important part in the historic Conservative victory in May. Through its branches in different parts of the world galvanised by new initiatives masterminded from the centre by Heather’s team, Conservatives Abroad contributed significantly to the Party’s election funds, giving direct financial assistance in six key marginal seats. Their sustained efforts to get more eligible British nationals living abroad on to the electoral registers in Britain helped quadruple the total number of registered overseas voters –to nearly 106,000, by far the highest figure ever. In two seats overseas voters swung the result in favour of the Tories.
At the lively conference, Alistair Lexden paid tribute to these successes, alongside other speakers who included John Penrose MP who has direct responsibility at the Cabinet Office for implementing the Conservative manifesto to scrap the absurd time limit of 15 years on our fellow countrymen’s right to vote if they move abroad. As the manifesto declares, “we will introduce votes for life”. Alistair Lexden has consistently backed calls for this reform since he became a member of the Upper House.
The legislation needed to give effect to the Party’s manifesto commitment is still in preparation. It will almost certainly not be enacted by the time that the referendum on Britain’s membership on the European Union takes place in 2016-17. No provision has been made in the Referendum Bill to enable all our fellow countrymen living overseas to vote in it, as the principle commitment of “votes for life” demands. An amendment to include such a provision will be brought forward when the Bill reaches its Committee stage in the Lords in a few weeks’ time. Alistair Lexden has made it clear to the Government Whips’ Office in the Lords that he intends to vote for this amendment.