The Conservatives are looking to mobilise the support of millions of Brits living abroad to give them a boost at the next general election.
A change in law approved by parliament in 2022 has given an estimated 3.5 million people the right vote in UK elections.
It is being touted as the most significant change to the voter rolls since a 1928 law granted women equal voting rights, and a 1969 move to lower the voting age to 18 from 21.
But there is no guarantee that everyone will take up the opportunity to vote, and there is certainly no guarantee that, following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, many will vote Conservative.
In a bid to win voters over, a job advert posted by the party HQ has advertised for an ‘overseas voter registration coordinator’ who will focus on boosting the turnout of Tory expat voters in crucial electoral contests.
It suggests the operation would coordinate UK-based proxy voters to increase Tory support in the so-called 80:20 contests. These are 80 seats, including many of those in the red wall, that the party needs to retain and 20 it wants to win.
The ad, from last August, said the job included “managing the coordination of a UK-based proxy voter campaign focused on ensuring maximum turnout of Conservative supporters in key 80:20 contests”.
It has now been removed from the website.
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