Friends, British citizens, countrymen, lend me your ears.
For a big decision is to be made. Would you like to maintain the right to move freely and work in 28 beautiful states across Europe? Do you wish to benefit from the economic advantages of the free movement of goods, services and capital within those same nations? Or would you rather retreat to your sceptred isle, sick to the back teeth of those barmy Euro bureaucrats in Brussels telling you how bendy your banana has to be? (That was made up, by the way).
The time has now come to cast your ballot.
For our readers older than 18 and hailing from the UK, the British Embassy Beijing has launched a China-wide campaign dubbed 'Overseas Voter Registration Day' to encourage UK citizens living overseas to register to vote for the upcoming EU Referendum. The Referendum, confirmed to take place on Thursday June 23, will determine whether or not the UK will remain in or exit from the European Union. Registration is quick and painless at: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Here are a few other important facts about registration from our friends at Overseas Voter Registration Day:
1. UK nationals who have been registered to vote in the UK within the last 15 years can register as an overseas elector, to be able to vote in UK Parliamentary General Elections, UK-wide referendums, and European Parliamentary elections.
2. It is important to remember that if you are not registered, you can’t vote in the referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union when it takes place.
3. You will need to know your National Insurance number and date of birth, and have your passport to hand, if you have one. If you don’t have a National Insurance number you can still register, but you may have to supply more information to show who you are.
4. You have to sign an annual declaration once you are registered to vote to renew your registration every year. So if you were registered to vote for the 2015 General Election, you will have to renew your registration or register again.
5. You can choose how you wish to vote. You can vote by post, by proxy (voting by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf), or even in person at your polling station should you be returning back to the UK. If you choose to vote by post, remember to allow enough time for the documentation to be sent to you from the UK and for you to send it back.
According to recent polls, the vote is fairly split right now, so your voice matters.
We're obviously exercising journalistic impartiality on this one, so all we're saying is: are you with this guy?
That website address once again www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
[Images via The Guardian and www.thecommentator.com]
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