IT IS hard to doubt Harry Shindler when he says he is committed to his country.  As a young British soldier, he helped liberate Italy from fascism. Since then he has helped the families of his fallen comrades to find their graves. On February 19th the British ambassador in Rome will make him a Member of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his service.

But Mr Shindler really wants a simpler trophy: the right to vote. He is denied it because he has lived in Italy (“about ‘arf way up” the country, he explains in a still-strong south London accent) for the past three decades. Unlike America and most continental European countries, Britain withdraws the franchise from citizens who have been resident abroad for more than 15 years.

Our colleagues in the organisation SUISSES DE L’'ETRANGER (OSA) very strongly regret the result of the referendum  on Sunday 9th February.  Altogether 453.000 Swiss citizens live and work in a member state of the EU.  And in the referendum yesterday they have voted against the proposal to limit the free movement.

See the declaration from OSA below  (you can find the German version here:  www.aso.ch)
(Text below translated  by BVC.)

Politicians use the word 'governance' with different meanings, but with the same goal, to simplify the adoption of draft laws and legal practices to impose the will of their rule.

Now this is very similar to dictatorship or oligarchy (where power rests with a small number of people).

On Friday 31st January in the House of Lords The EU Referendum Bill died - but it is far from dead!    What does that mean for us?  Quite a lot! Your help is needed .
Lord Lipsey,  the archetypal ‘we rule – you are ruled’ politician, tabled the motion that the House should  ‘resume’! This arcane procedure meant that the Committee stage of the House debating the Referendum Bill came to an abrupt end and so did the Bill itself!  It is all slightly strange to those unfamiliar with the way ‘our’ government proceeds.

Liberal Democrats in Europe have strongly welcomed a move by the European Commission to defend voting rights for British citizens living in other EU countries.

Current rules mean Brits are denied the right to vote in general elections after 15 years spent abroad - whether in the EU or elsewhere. Between 1.4 and 2 million British citizens currently live in another EU country and risk losing their right to vote in the long term.

Gale`s View - Embargo 6th November. There are those who believe that Members of Parliament should not concern ourselves with other than local or at least domestic matters.

That applies to Overseas Aid, to other people`s wars of course, and to issues such as the voting rights of citizens living overseas or the benefits paid to them.  Winter Fuel Allowance or "money paid to rich people sitting on yachts in the Mediterranean drinking gin" (an absolute travesty of the truth ) is a particular anathema.

The last breakdown of statistics were circulated at month end September 2013 when we had 3,116 supporters from 64 different countries.

This has now risen to 3,212 supporters from 64 different countries Significant increase +% changes, by individual countries, have been...

The British Government, as an introduction to a reappraisal of its relationship with the EU, has begun a review of all aspects of that relationship. They call these a 'review of competences'. CLICK HERE to see a discussion relating to Fundamental Human Rights.