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.
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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.
Champion%20v%20Champion%20(PFL%20v%20Bellator)
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
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