There is nothing that winds up an expat more than seeing the UK Government spending taxpayer's money (which, incidentally, for many expats is their money too) on the most controversial of issues, while at the same hitting the aforementioned expat in the unmentionables under the premise of austerity measures that must be shared by all of Blighty's citizens.
I refer, of course, to George Osborne's latest announcement that he is launching a legal challenge to the EU's cap on banker's bonuses (http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/sep/25/osborne-bankers-bonuses-eu-cap) while also implementing, from 2015, the removal of Winter Fuel Payments from senior citizen expats who live in so-called "hot" countries* (http://tilou62.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/expat-winter-fuel-payment-ban-fiasco.html).
So this begs the question, that if austerity is to be shared by ALL UK citizens, then why are the Conservatives, yet again, kow-towing to their rich pals in the City and punishing those at the other end of the financial spectrum?
And before anyone starts bleating and throwing the "sun and sangria" stereotyping expat insults into the mix, I'm not just talking about them here. Anyone affected by the welfare changes will be feeling the pinch just now. For example, a group of social housing tenants are currently fighting their way through the court system in their attempts to overturn the "bedroom tax" being foisted upon them because they have disabled children and require the extra space that the Government decrees they do not need.
So let's face it... when you read about these things you really do wonder if those in charge at Westminster have ever stepped outside of their cocoon and faced the real world?!
So what to do about it? Well. there are the petitions to sign, MPs to contact, and generally spreading the word among the affected community to get on board the protest train. This is quite difficult in expat terms, as we are spread far and wide - something that the Government knows and uses to it's advantage.
So I say, don't just sit there and play into their hands... MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD... and the more voices the better. Just look at the comments here to see exactly what I mean: http://www.connexionfrance.com/winter-fuel-allowance-France-15072-news-article.html
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY... remember, all political parties are seeking as many voters to put the tick in their box in 2015. Furthermore, they all like to target the "grey vote" - something Mr Osborne seems to have forgotten in his quest to put the Treasury boot into senior citizen expats. I know that the 15-year voting limit currently prevents many from their right to representation at the ballot box - hopefully that will change sooner rather than later. But even so, there are some 3 million eligible expat voters worldwide who can have their say. Five hundred thousand of those eligible voters live in France, one of the "hot" countries in the flawed temperature link test. SO LET'S HAVE OUR SAY!
Naturally, younger expats think that this does not affect them. YES IT DOES! Because one day you will find yourself in the situation... where the UK Government sticks two fingers up and tells you where to go, while at the same time that same Government will be helping itself to tax payments from your pension pot.
So do not be complacent about this. Do not take the "it will never happen to me" attitude. Because it will... and the only way to stop the rot is to get onto the Electoral Role and put that cross in the appropriate box to make your voice heard!
Links:
Petition re Winter Fuel Payments: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/52121
Petition to create Expat MP: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/55085
Electoral Registration: http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register_to_vote/british_citizens_living_abroad.aspx
Website for Voting Rights: http://www.votes-for-expat-brits.com/Home.php
*Note to Chancellor Osborne: there are many expats who will offer you hospitality to take a trip into the depths of France in January or February in order to prove to you that it is FREEZING COLD! That's if you can actually make the trip to your destination, as it is likely to be cut off by snow! Only 30 British expats live in France's DOM-TOMs, so why did you include their tropical temperatures in your calculations? Basic schoolboy error, or intentional bigoted nastiness? I think I know the answer.
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