British people who have lived overseas for more than 15 years are to be given the right to vote in UK elections, it was announced yesterday.

The move was announced in the Queen’s Speech, which outlines the UK government programme for the year.

The Queen said in the speech that the UK government would ensure “British citizens overseas can vote in Parliamentary elections for life by getting rid of the arbitrary 15-year limit on their voting rights”.

Rishi Sunak, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced in his March budget speech that £2.5m was earmarked “to remove the limit preventing British citizens who live overseas from voting after 15 years”.

UK expatriates in the past had voting rights revoked after 15 years.