Expat Brits urged to vote on EU

Expat Brits living in Australia are being urged to sign up to vote in the UK's controversial referendum on whether it should stay in the European Union.

Of the 1.2 million Brits living in Australia, hundreds of thousands are estimated to be eligible to vote in the June 23 poll.

"On 23 June Brits will go to the polls to make an incredibly important decision about the future of our country - one that has the potential to affect British citizens wherever they live in the world," British High Commissioner Menna Rawlings said.

"That's why it is so important that those Brits living in Australia who are eligible to vote sign up to have their say."

To be eligible to vote, expats must have been registered to vote in the UK at some stage during the past 15 years.

Expats wanting to vote in the poll need to register on online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote before May 16.

Debate has been heating up in Britain over whether the UK should split from the 28-member bloc that makes up the EU.

Prime Minister David Cameron has been leading the charge for the Remain campaign, saying in a speech overnight that a Brexit would put peace at risk in Europe.

However, those backing the Leave campaign, including former London mayor Boris Johnson, argue that Britain will have more influence on the world stage if it quits the EU.