Expats fear hung parliament in today’s General Election

BRITS living abroad think today’s General Election is going the end in a hung parliament. The voting intentions of expats living in sunny Spain, for example, appear to show eight-out-of-10 voting by postal ballot with no overall majority for the major parties, according to an online survey

By Mike Brooke

BRITS living abroad think today's General Election is going the end in a hung parliament.

The voting intentions of expats living in sunny Spain, for example, appear to show eight-out-of-10 voting by postal ballot with no overall majority for the major parties, according to an online survey by foreign currency exchange specialists.

Around 65 per cent of UK citizens living south of the Pyrenees believe their postal vote will still lead to Britain having a minority government, while 41 per cent think today's election result will dent the value of the � regardless of who wins. A massive 76 per cent indicate only one pressing issue, the economy.

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"It is the economy which is without doubt the big issue," said Currencies Direct boss Mark O'Sullivan. "Expats in Spain clearly feel somewhat immune to more day-to-day concerns such as crime, immigration and health.

"But they have felt the impact of the credit crunch on their savings and pensions and want something done about it."

But those taking part in Currencies Direct's survey fear they may have "some time to wait before decisive action on the economy" if their predictions for a hung parliament are realised.