British people who live in Galway will soon be able to vote in elections in the UK for life.
The changes form part of the Elections Bill which will scrap a rule that prevents British citizens from voting if they have lived abroad for more than 15 years.
The Bill will also allow overseas electors to stay registered to vote for longer, with an absent voting arrangement in place.
Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, Lord True, said that in an increasingly global and connected world, most British citizens living overseas retain deep ties to the United Kingdom.
“Many still have family here, have a history of hard work in the UK behind them, and some have even fought for our country,” he said.
“These measures support our vision for a truly Global Britain, opening up our democracy to British citizens living overseas who deserve to have their voices heard in our Parliament, no matter where they choose to live.”
The new rules will British people will have to renew their registration details once every three years, rather than annually.
