There are estimated to be 5.6 million British nationals living abroad, with some 3 million believed to be eligible to register to vote. At the end of 2011, the number registered to vote in UK parliamentary elections was 23,366. A registration rate of under 1 per cent would be deemed totally unacceptable within the UK.
On March 19 a cross-party parliamentary group of which Alistair Lexden is a member published a report containing recommendations designed to enable expatriates to register and to exercise their right to vote more easily.