Got you! Now I wouldn’t want you to think that this is some form of political protest on my part. No! The reason why I can’t vote is they won’t let me.
I have lived in England for nearly 36 years and I am married to an Englishman. I have worked and paid tax for nearly 25 years. My big problem is that I am not an English subject. In order to become one I need to take a ‘Test of Britishness” (I took at cost of £35- and fortunately passed 1st time) and then pay nearly £700 and complete a massive form to allow me to participate in a citizenship ceremony thus allowing me to apply for a passport, (£140) and then I can vote.
England has a special relationship with America but it is not that special. When I came to live in England as a young bride I was making my home and future here. I am ethnically English and can trace my ancestry to well before the Act of Union in 1707. Living in England felt right. I loved tea and cricket.
I didn’t really give it much more thought than that. I was busy bringing up three sons and working as a teacher; first in leafy suburbs and then in a tough ‘inner city’ school. I even did voluntary work when I was a young Mum working in Community Health as a Chair and then moving on to Chairing a Strategic Health Authority Ethics Committee. I did my bit to contribute. (and still do)
As I became interested in local issues I was sure that as a tax-paying resident I would be allowed to vote. No way! However if I had been Irish then it would have been no problem. Explain that to me please?
The irony is that if I had married a Frenchman and/or lived in France I could have had my passport immediately. I could even have had my identity altered to make me completely French. And of course as a taxpayer and resident I would have been eligible for a vote. (even if I was not French!) Great to see that our Gallic neighbours understand the rights of people living in a democracy.
So although I won’t be voting at the General Election in May it won’t be because I don’t want to but because narrow minded politicians give citizenship to anyone who can pay and fail to understand the maxim: No Taxation Without Representation! Seems to me that was an issue before; haven’t they learned anything in 200+ years?
So I feel very upset that