I think it’s odd that foreign passport holders can vote in our elections. Obviously we must benefit from the situation somehow.
How do we differ compared to the U.S when dealing with Australia for example? I know I had a years work visa but so could someone from Japan.
A lot of the commonwealth countries aren’t the nicest place for gay people to live. Should we not impose some sort of basic level of human rights for commonwealth membership?
Please enlighten me.

Good fert Queens holibobs?

Re voting: they don’t. That’s why the Bharatiya Janata Party haven’t done so well here lately.

Er, you can only vote if you’re a Commonwealth citizen if you’re formally resident in the U.K. and have leave to remain.

Just like EU and ROI citizens.

I don’t like the ROI’s official line on abortion, but I’m not about the question Ireland’s contribution to the UK.

It’s more about maintaining historical links. Some of those aren’t under what we would, by today’s standards, think of as good circumstances but we can still recognise shared history and work together nicely now.

I don’t see it really has much value beyond that. The voting thing still requires residency which often still needs a visa so it is nothing like the EU relationship.

Well, according to UKIP, trading with the Commonwealth is our bright new future, post Brexit.

Shared culture. shared legal systems, ties between citizens (hence why the UK has so many non EU immigrants, dont forget that until the 1960’s ALL commonwealth citizens had freedom of movement and a right to abide in the UK, remember that when you say Brexiters want to return to the 1950’s – yeah, get that in your head, we invented freedom of movement you whinging remainers!).

In many ways its also been our EU membership that killed our free trade with the commonwealth nations (e.g.. new zealand butter and lamb) – we’ve spent forty years looking in to Europe rather than out at our longstanding friends, I think thats a bloody tragedy.

Just like EU and ROI citizens.

EU citizens (that are not UK/ROI) can vote only in local and EU elections?

UK, remember that when you say Brexiters want to return to the 1950’s – yeah, get that in your head, we invented freedom of movement you whinging remainers!).

Brexiters invented free movement of people in the 1950’s! #Jambafact

In many ways its also been our EU membership that killed our free trade with the commonwealth nations (e.g.. new zealand butter and lamb) – we’ve spent forty years looking in to Europe rather than out at our longstanding friends, I think thats a bloody tragedy.

Rightly looking to Europe, in other words, peer economies who require our products and services. The commonwealth countries aren’t really doing free trade amongst themselves due to their economies being aligned differently, so how you think the UK will just slot back in as an equal among many nations…

Besides, even “imperial preference” didn’t happen.

Shared culture

sorry… are you saying that all members of the commonwealth share a similar culture?

Shared culture. shared legal systems, ties between citizens (hence why the UK has so many non EU immigrants, dont forget that until the 1960’s ALL commonwealth citizens had freedom of movement and a right to abide in the UK, remember that when you say Brexiters want to return to the 1950’s – yeah, get that in your head, we invented freedom of movement you whinging remainers!).

Yes, it brings a tear to the eye when you think of how Johnny Foreigner was so beguiled by the wonders of English/British culture that they willingly abandoned their own.

In many ways its also been our EU membership that killed our free trade with the commonwealth nations (e.g.. new zealand butter and lamb)

Much easier to sell to China these days…

UK is on the working holiday list for Aus and NZ I think which means you can travel easier, we also get a free games every 4 years to remind people how good we are (Brisbane coming up)

As above Commonwealth citizens only get some minor privileges in voting when they are resident in the UK.
It is just as tricky for a commonwealth citizen to get residency as any other non EU foreigner.
There are high commisions in each of the commonwealth countries who bring trade opportunities to the UK.
Don’t forget that quite a few of the commonwealth countries were originally annexed by GB less than willingly!

We get to claim some of the sports stars from around the Commonwealth as our own – Froome, Konta, Rusedski and many more I’m sure.

Rightly looking to Europe, in other words, peer economies who require our products and services. The commonwealth countries aren’t really doing free trade amongst themselves due to their economies being aligned differently…

Go on then. Remind us how closely aligned the economies of the UK, France, Greece and Lithuania are again…

Remind us again how closely aligned the economies of the UK, France, Greece and Lithuania are again…

Chosing to skip a decent few in the EU we are aligned with
Airbus has sixteen key sites in four countries: France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurofighter_Typhoon
Eurofighter
GM/Opel/Vauxhall has close cooperation around Europe
Deals with Nissan/Renault aling the UK closely with Europe
Food production and trade
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Dutch_Shell
Shell aligns the UK with the Dutch
and many more examples, the UK is developing closer cultural ties with Poland due to freedom of movement and better integration.

The EU represents a collection of economies that are all around a certain maturity, moveing away from raw material production into other areas that have developed over a similar time frame with many shared experiences.

If I had to pick from a list of most compatible in terms of equal trade I’d have to go with Canada, Aus and NZ. Singapore might sneak in but as it’s basically smaller than London it doesn’t really count. South Africa might edge closer in a few more years.