Elisa Menendez
A SCOTTISH expat is calling on the British government to introduce MPs for Brits living abroad.
Alastair Stewart, a teacher in Almeria, has launched a petition, which already boasts over 1,000 signatures.
The 30-year-old from Edinburgh told the Olive Press the motivation came from a ‘profound sense of powerlessness’ following the EU referendum.
“Brexit has shown that when things go foul, you need someone,” said Stewart, a former press officer for Scottish Parliament.
Currently the only point of contact for expats is their constituent MP back in the UK, or the British Embassy.
“The problem is there’s a massive concentration of expatriates living on the Costa del Sol and Spain, but they’re scattered from around 650 constituents in the UK. Even if we all band together, there’s no direct person to speak to.
“That’s 650 different MPs and 650 ways to waste their time,” he told the Olive Press.
Stewart, who splits his time between Spain, Edinburgh and Macedonia, believes there should be UK MPs representing expats in every foreign country.
“We’re all going to have the same issues and concerns and there’s no point map for representation,” he added.
Other countries, including the likes of Germany, France and Macedonia, already have MPs who represent the expats living there.
The teacher’s end goal is to get 100,000 signatures – the required number for a petition to be considered for debate in Parliament.
You can sign it at www.petition.parliament.uk/petitions/216611
