Bremainers Ask………. Anna Bird, CEO European Movement UK

Bremainers Ask………. Anna Bird, CEO European Movement UK

Jul 31, 2021 | Bremainers Ask, News

Anna Bird is the CEO of the European Movement UK. She joined the European Movement in September 2020, having previously led political influencing campaigns at Scope, the Fawcett Society and Mind. Anna is a passionate Europhile, a European Studies graduate and Erasmus alumnus, who studied in France and Italy and started her career as a stagiaire in the European Parliament.

Alan Brown : European Movement describes Brexit as a historic, national mistake and says it “will fight to rejoin the EU as soon as it is politically possible”. Given that no political opposition party wants to talk about the Brexit mistake, how will it ever be ”politically possible” to rejoin, or even achieve a version of the single market?

It’s our job to make it politically possible. We can’t rely on the political parties, that’s abundantly clear!

How do we do it? We have to expose to the public the huge harm that is being done by this Brexit deal. By using local issues and human stories, we can make the impact of Brexit resonate with people at an emotional level, not just a rational one. We’re providing the tools for our local groups to do just that.

And then we need to offer hope and the possibility of something different. We talk at the European Movement about building back step by step. Some of these steps might include: rejoining Erasmus, securing a deal on veterinary standards, getting an EU-wide visa waiver for touring artists … we’re campaigning on all these issues.

Clearly, this government’s Brexit just isn’t working. We’re seeing that in the empty shelves in the supermarkets, the tension in Northern Ireland and workforce shortages. So, change is inevitable. That provides an opportunity to move us closer to the end goal.

 

Valerie Chaplin :You have over 100 groups around the UK, that campaign for upholding citizens’ rights etc. Which UK citizens’ groups do you work with in the EU 27?

Well… Bremain in Spain, obviously! You are a valued EM affiliate. As a member of European Movement International we have links to citizens groups across all EU member states and beyond. And we met just this week to explore opportunities with British in Europe, who are doing great work advocating for UK citizens in Brussels.

There’s no doubt much more we could and should do to build our links across the EU with UK citizens’ groups, and to be able to offer more to our members who live on the continent. Any suggestions for how to do that – I’m all ears.

 

european movement

Steven Wilson : European Movement have a reputation for being middle-aged, male and white. How do you intend to encourage more diversity in the organisation?

If we want to stay relevant, this has to be a top priority and as a lifelong equality campaigner, this matters to me very much. One of my first actions was to propose 3 new candidates to join EM’s Executive Committee to improve diversity at the top table. I was delighted that the National Council approved the nominations of Molly Scott Cato, Jane Thomas and Sajjad Karim, and all three have made an outstanding contribution in the few months since they joined. 

As CEO, I have started to embed an inclusive, flexible working environment (as a mum to two young children this is vital for me, but it works well for others in the team who juggle caring responsibilities, needy dogs and political and non-exec roles alongside their day jobs!)

And I’m working with Andrew (Adonis, our chair) and Molly on much deeper reform of our governance structures, so that diversity is ‘baked in’ for the future. The proposals would ensure a much larger National Council in which no less than 40% of seats go to women and there are reserved places for people from Black and Minority ethnic communities and young people. Alongside this we intend to recruit a diversity officer to the board, who will work with appointed diversity leads in our local groups, to build a diverse pipeline of campaigners, ambassadors and leaders for our movement.

We’ve got a long way to go but change is afoot – and importantly, it’s already making the EM a much more vibrant, creative and fun place to be.

 

Anon : Can the government be defeated at the next election, and if so, how?

I tend to leave the political punditry to others in the European Movement, so I don’t know that I’m the best person to answer this question! But 130,000 people have died during the pandemic, key industries have been betrayed over Brexit, the peace process in Northern Ireland has been undermined – these are all conscious choices made by this government, a shameful legacy for Boris Johnson, and this will be the backdrop to the next election.

I hope that progressive parties will work together to oust this government, and I also hope and expect that any future Tory leader will want to signal distance from this regime and will soften its stance somewhat on our relationship with the EU, if only to mitigate the economic impact of this hard Brexit deal. But we have to play our part for these things to happen. We need to hold this government to account robustly and prevent the impact of Brexit being swept under the Covid carpet. We can give a platform to politicians from across the political spectrum who are willing to call out the harm that is being done and those willing to voice pro-EU views. We need to organise and mobilise so that we are a strong voice when that election comes. That’s why the EM is investing to grow our membership for the future – there’s a long road and some big campaigns ahead!

 

Michael Frederick Phillips : There are many protest groups representing UK residents in the EU focused on how to hold the UK government to account for the detrimental effects of Brexit. How best can we form a strategic alliance of these groups to focus on the EU and raise our visibility?

A strategic alliance is a great plan: the more united the voice, the more profile and impact you will have. I’d be interested to know what’s preventing that now – is it resources and time, or different views and approaches? If the European Movement can help facilitate a coming together, we’d be very happy to do so. Could we convene a summit or a regular (e.g. quarterly?) roundtable for groups to share intelligence, find some shared goals and campaign opportunities? Could we extend some of our campaign tools and training offer to groups like yours to build your firepower? We’re open to ideas and happy to help.

 

David Eldridge : As you used to work in the mental health field, what effects do you think Brexit is having on people’s mental health?

Brexit is leading to all sorts of negative impact for people – precarious work situations, families and living arrangements being thrown into chaos, communities losing jobs and investment, and people’s fundamental sense of identity and belonging under threat.  All of these social and economic factors are determinants of mental ill-health too, so there’s no question that there will be a mental health impact. But I suspect it will be hard to calculate and to some extent masked by the huge mental health impact of the Covid pandemic.

We all have a role to play in supporting people through. Now more than ever, groups like Bremain in Spain and other groups in our network can provide some comfort and solidarity to those affected by Brexit. We are a community of like-minded people with a shared goal – to rebuild our relationship with the EU. That’s one of the many reasons why building our movement is so important – people affected by Brexit need to know that we are here to bear witness and expose the harm that’s been done.

Naomi Smith

Next month will see the return of our occasional feature – Bremainers Ask Revisited. We will be asking former contributors to comment on the current state of play of British politics, in particular Brexit. We are delighted to be welcoming back Naomi Smith, Ian Dunt and Jonathan Lis, and look forward to hearing their thoughts on the subject.

Frost’s command plan for the Northern Ireland protocol

Frost’s command plan for the Northern Ireland protocol

Jul 22, 2021 | Bylines, News

Bremain Chair Sue Wilson MBE writes for Yorkshire Bylines about the ongoing UK issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol:

Over the last few days, rumours have been rife as to the UK’s plans to resolve issues surrounding the Northern Ireland protocol. Rhetoric from Lord Frost – the UK’s Brexit negotiator – has been ramping up over recent weeks.

Would the new proposal – the ‘command plan’ – be more constructive, or just more UK government sabre-rattling?

At the beginning of the month, Frost described the truce between the EU and the UK, in the so-called ‘sausage wars’, as merely a “sticking plaster”. As a direct response, relations with the EU were said to be deteriorating, following Frost’s “strange” remarks, with European Commission vice president, Maroš Šefčovič, warning that the EU may step up plans for legal action against the UK.

 

Accepting responsibility for Brexi

The government’s denial of responsibility for the consequences of Brexit is not new. Frost in particular has washed his hands of any blame for the failings of his own – once touted – Brexit deal. That blame is being laid firmly at the EU’s door, with claims of EU inflexibility and purism.

Not one to be left out of any EU Brexit bashing, Prime Minister Johnson joined in the blame game attacking the EU over the Northern Ireland protocol, and providing a committee of ministers with a list of the issues. Not quite the ‘oven ready’ deal that he persuaded parliament to support, it would seem.

By the second week of July, Frost was promising answers on the Northern Ireland protocol before summer recess, accusing the EU of dodging the “heart of the problem” in post-Brexit trade.

While Frost continued to insist the protocol was the cause of all problems, the EU disagreed. On a recent trip to Dublin, European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, said the protocol was the “only solution” to the problems caused by Brexit.

 

Pump up the volume

Prior to Wednesday’s big announcement, the scene was being set with Frost talking of deviating from the Brexit deal and “pumping up the volume”. The expectation was that the UK would invoke Article 16 of the protocol, which allows either party to take unilateral action if the application of the protocol “leads to serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties that are liable to persist”.

 

By Wednesday morning, more supposed details of the government’s command plan were beginning to emerge. In a conversation between Boris Johnson and Irish Taoiseach, Michael Martin on Tuesday evening, Johnson said the Northern Ireland protocol was “causing significant disruption”, according to a Downing Street spokesperson.

Johnson called on the EU to “address the serious issues that have arisen” with Brexit in Northern Ireland. Sources described the proposal as “meaningful” and “a significant piece of work”, saying the move to eliminate border checks represented a “wholesale change of approach”. It was also anticipated that alongside the plan would be a threat – to suspend the Northern Ireland protocol altogether.

Brexit expert David Henig commented in a Twitter thread that any ‘new thinking’ or indeed just ‘thinking’ would be welcome from the UK government”, but added that expectations were “low”.

Henig added that the idea of the proposed “honesty box” approach at the border had not been considered by other nations, perhaps because it was a “completely ridiculous” idea. He went on to point out that any mention of Article 16 should come with the warning that any measures taken are both “limited and open to retaliatory measures”

 

Frost’s command plan

When the plan was finally announced on Wednesday afternoon, it brought no real surprises, other than the government stopping short of the triggering of Article 16. Apparently, “now is not the right moment to do so”. Frost said the proposals would require “significant change to the Northern Ireland protocol” – a step he said the UK would not “shy away” from. That significant change is, no doubt, expected to come only from the EU side of the debate. Frost added:

 

“The difficulties we have in operating the Northern Ireland protocol are now the main obstacle to building a relationship with the EU”.

Many commentators and onlookers may disagree with that assessment, citing Frost and Johnson as the main barriers to a strong, mutually beneficial partnership between Britain and Europe.

It is clear that the battle between Europe and the UK is set to continue, with the EU having the upper hand and international law on its side

The UK plan will have come as no surprise to the EU, though will likely have caused considerable irritation. The EU, like us, is used to the UK government failing to recognise the realities of Brexit, or indeed of international trade. The government has yet again proved it doesn’t understand the workings, or perhaps even the aims, of the European Union.

I had expected the EU to give the UK government’s latest proposal due consideration, before they said no. As they were bound to. Because they have no choice. It’s a ridiculous plan with no hope of success. But they immediately poured cold water on the idea. Šefčovič said, “we will continue to engage with the UK, also on the suggestions made today. We are ready to continue to seek creative solutions, within the framework of the Protocol, in the interests of all communities in Northern Ireland. However, we will not agree to a renegotiation of the Protocol”.

 

The Brexit fantasy

When asked in the House of Lords on Monday to name the benefits of Brexit, Lord Frost replied:

 

 

“Brexit will be hugely in the interests of everybody in this country as we take forward the exciting opportunities to reform our own rules, take back control of our legislation and run our own country as we wish”.

He proved then, as he proved again today, that his Brexit is a fantasy. This isn’t a plan, command or otherwise. It’s sabre-rattling nonsense of the highest order. And the country deserves better.

Football may be coming home, but we’re not

Football may be coming home, but we’re not

Jul 10, 2021 | Bylines, News

Here’s Bremain Chair Sue Wilson´s latest article for Yorkshire Bylines:

 

When Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, announced that quarantine measures would soon be lifted for fully vaccinated Brits, the news was largely welcomed. Until Brits abroad looked at the small print. The new measures would only apply to British citizens in the UK, vaccinated by the NHS, and not to British citizens abroad.

Labour MP, Ben Bradshaw, immediately raised this issue in parliament. Bradshaw pointed out that, even for countries on the government’s green list, travel this summer was more restricted than last summer, despite the vaccination programme. He said reciprocity with other countries was “absolutely vital” and the lack of immediate reciprocity meant other countries were “less likely to open up to us any time soon”. He asked Shapps, “why when so many European countries already accept our vaccine passport are we incapable of accepting theirs now?” While Shapps acknowledged that reciprocity is “very important”, he said negotiations were ongoing, and that the government would move “as quickly as possible”.

 

Shapps later told LBC that he was expecting to strike a deal with EU countries “within weeks”, to allow the UK to recognise EU Covid vaccine certification – the EU Digital Pass.

With Spain currently on the government’s amber list, all travellers arriving in the UK are required to quarantine for 10 days. They also need to have a negative test result before leaving Spain & have two further tests on day 2 and day 8 of isolation. These measures, and the not inconsiderable costs attached, are preventing many from visiting family and friends in the UK. Many have not seen family members – parents, children, grandchildren – for over a year. When those family members are elderly or infirm, there is always the worry they may never see them again.

Bremain in Spain members were quick to voice their anger and frustration. Lorna Cage said, “I’m utterly bereft. I really can’t take much more of this. My mother is 92 and I haven’t seen my children for 18 months. We are inoculated with a drug licenced by the UK and we are British citizens. This is political game playing at our expense”.

Ruth Woodhouse said, “as of 1 July, the EU has had a fully-functioning digital Covid certificate scheme in place. Therefore I see absolutely no reason why the process should not be extremely simple”. She described the measures as “discriminatory” and “heartbreaking”

 

The pain of quarantine for separated families

Helen Johnston expressed the difficulties for those who cannot quarantine with family members, saying, “Grant Shapps says he has sympathy for families kept apart by Covid, but the government has, it seems, given no thought to the circumstances of people who live abroad. Returning holidaymakers have a home to go to, but many of us have nowhere suitable to stay, and so are obliged to stay in hotels. With holiday accommodation in the UK scarce and priced at a premium this summer, the government’s refusal to reciprocate on recognising EU vaccine certificates is effectively making it impossible for us to see our families”.

Although some families will be reunited thanks to the lifting of quarantine restrictions, not all Brits abroad can rely on their families travelling to see them. Apart from some very real fears about any travel during the pandemic, not everyone is able physically or financially, to visit family in Europe.

Michael Soffe shared sentiments familiar to many, saying, “I am furious about this as all I want to do is visit my 92 year old parents without having to go into quarantine. I cannot be away from Spain for 10, 12, 14 days!”

 

A lack of reciprocity in quarantine arrangements?

Vaccinations used across the EU are the same as those used in the UK. Not only that, they are produced using the same production methods, and often the same production facilities. The EU covid certification is recognised widely, not least by the 27 EU member states, and EU countries widely recognise the UK NHS system. There seem to be no legal or scientific reasons for the UK government decision, so we can only assume – as with all things EU related – that the decision is purely an ideological one. Certainly, as with so many things involving our government and covid, logic and common sense play little part in the decision-making process

Covid cases in the UK are at their highest level for many months. Meanwhile, the vaccination programme that the government have been so proud of, and have seemingly regarded as the cure to all covid ills, has slowed down considerably. The speed with which the EU has rolled out their own vaccination programme – both doses – is starting to look more efficient by comparison, despite a speedy UK start.

Vaccination levels in the UK are now at a considerably lower level than earlier in the year, with the number of first doses on 7 July at 86,953, compared to 752,308 at their peak on 20 March (source: government website). It would therefore seem that decisions about the effectiveness of covid measures by other countries are not being made based on scientific data, but on politics.

 

As Bradshaw pointed out, most of Europe should have been on the green list weeks ago, and if Europe can recognise our vaccine passports, why can’t the UK government recognise theirs?

Learning to live with Covid

Learning to live with Covid

Jul 10, 2021 | Bylines, News

Bremain Chair Sue Wilson writes for Yorkshire Bylines about her personal experience during the pandemic:

It’s been nine months since I last saw my mum. Having been used to monthly visits, covid measures have prevented me – like so many others – from spending precious time with family.

 

Taking precautions with covid

I live in Spain, my mum lives in a care home in Oxfordshire. My last visit was a week after her 90th birthday, which I missed, thanks to being stuck in quarantine.

As I write this, I am doing a further period of enforced isolation, though this time for 10 days, not 14. I say 10 days, but as the count doesn’t start till the day after arrival, it’s really 11. Leaving me three days out of my two week trip to visit mum, by appointment only, and time limited.I don’t mind the precautions the care home is taking, even the daily testing. In fact, I welcome them. I rather wish the whole country, not least the government, were half as cautious over covid.

 

Covid travel measures

I thought long and hard before making the decision to visit the UK, weighing up convenience, cost, and safety.

It was anticipated that on “Freedom day” in June, many covid restrictions would be lifted. Instead, any revisions were postponed for four more weeks. With Spain on the government’s amber list, and no immediate signs of that changing, travelling to England was going to mean isolation. But the alternative could mean waiting until after the new Freedom Day – expected on 19 July.

With quarantine measures expected to be dropped from amber list countries, this could mean a considerable increase in demand for flights – both into and out of the UK – and no doubt a hike in prices. With more people, comes more risk, even for those of us fully vaccinated, and on balance, I chose to come earlier and quarantine.

Although my decision has cut the time I will be able to spend visiting mum, you can’t put a price on feeling safe. Though there seem to be plenty of companies willing to take our money. My pre-flight test in Spain was quick, painless, and relatively cheap. For 40 euros, I was tested by a laboratory assistant in a white coat, and had my results fully documented in an email within two hours.

I have just posted the first of two UK tests – self-administered – during quarantine. The two tests combined cost me £175, and all that is guaranteed is that I will have the results within 48 hours of the provider receiving them in the post.

I was officially allowed to break quarantine in order to go to the nearest priority post box to return my test. The logic of that escapes me, but then the logic of many of the government’s covid measures have that same effect.

 

Mask wearing

With social distancing about to be scrapped, and the wearing of masks left up to the individual, you could be forgiven for thinking that it’s perfectly safe to return to normal life. But will the British public continue to wear masks when the matter is left to their own discretion?

Wearing masks has always been about protecting others, not ourselves. Behavioural Scientist, Professor Stephen Reicher told the BBC, “I agree that people have to exercise responsibility – but not just personal responsibility, social responsibility”.

Speaking of circumstances when personal freedom affects the freedom of others, he compared mask wearing to driving. He added, “my freedom to drive fast affects your safety”, adding that the freedom not to wear a mask similarly affects the safety of others.

Speaking for transport industry union Unite, Bobby Morton said any lifting of requirements for the wearing of face coverings on public transport would be “an act of gross negligence”.

 

Covid is not like the flu

The new Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, seems keen to put freedom and wealth before health. He does know he’s not Chancellor anymore, doesn’t he? By all accounts, we all now have to “learn to live” with covid – like we live with the flu.

But covid is not the flu, and nobody, to my knowledge, has been seriously ill for months on end, or suffered long-term damaging effects, from “long flu”. I also don’t remember the entire population being recommended to be vaccinated against the flu or having to self-isolate.

 

 

The fact that covid is spreading amongst the younger, unvaccinated population, or that case numbers are the highest they have been for many months, is nothing for us to be concerned about apparently, at least according to Javid or the prime minister.

Despite rising hospitalisations, they point to the low number of daily deaths, comparatively speaking, as if that is the only measure worth consideration.

It may be the case that the vaccination programme is having an impact on the relationship between case numbers and deaths. We certainly hope so. But isn’t it too soon to know for sure? Have the government given up any pretence and decided to carry out its earlier, and supposedly soundly rejected herd immunity policy.

 

Learning to live with covid

Though not quite what the government had in mind, I am learning to live with covid measures. Measures that will restrict my movement, my proximity to others and my freedoms. I shall continue to wear a mask, not for my own benefit, but for the benefit of others.

 

We are going to have to learn to live with covid, say the government – even as it mutates and becomes more dangerous. Not easy, but perhaps not as tough as learning to live with this government – even as it mutates and becomes more dangerous.

Why my vote is important to me

Why my vote is important to me

Jul 10, 2021 | News, Votes for Life

Regardless of how long we may have lived abroad, connections with the country where we were born & raised can be profound. Whether it’s the ties of family, property, business or the British culture, moving abroad cannot change our history.

Decisions made by the British government – especially since the Brexit referendum – have impacted our lives abroad in ways we could never have anticipated. All the more reason why we should exercise our democratic voting rights and have our say in who governs us, & how.

Below are comments from our members expressing why our right to vote in UK general elections is important to them. If you would like to add a comment of your own, please email it to us, and advise if you would prefer to remain anonymous

Jeff Myers

Although I live in Spain I have family and friends in the UK, so it is important to me to be able to vote regardless of how long I have lived outside the UK.

Helen Johnston

Contrary to what many seem to think, what our government does still affects us in many ways. Its foreign policies and actions affect how we are seen and treated abroad, and we still have family and friends there whose future we care about. Many British abroad also still pay UK taxes, have UK pensions or are even employed or have businesses there. Linking voting rights to taxpaying is a dangerous, slippery slope, however, it shouldn’t matter where you live or whether you pay taxes, the right to vote is a fundamental human right of all citizens.

Nicole Conroy

I want my vote returned to me so that the next time somebody comes up with a stupid idea, like Brexit, and leads Britain into disaster I would like to be able to do something to stop them. Added to this I am Mancunian and our beloved Emily Pankhurst did not fight to get women the vote for some idiots to take it away.

Pat Kennedy

No one, surely, likes a right to vote being denied.

Richard Milner

I have had the right to exercise to vote since I was 21. To be denied the right is an infringement. Ever since Cameron was elected and came up with the stupid Brexit vote, I would like to be able to stop something as stupid happening again 

Linda Stebbings

Our pensions are Crown pensions as well as having family and grandchildren still living and working in the UK. Therefore, if we are paying into the UK tax system we should be entitled to vote. 

Ruth Woodhouse

Events of 2016 and beyond obviously highlighted the injustice of the current situation, in that many were denied a vote in the EU referendum – and, again importantly, the General Election of 2017 (an election largely based around Brexit) – the outcome having life-changing ramifications for British citizens who had chosen to move from one part of the EU to another on the basis that their rights to freedom of movement, and all that this entailed, were guaranteed. I personally still contribute in taxes paid on my pensions, on property I own in the UK, etc., and I believe I have a right to a say in how that money is used and a say in policies that directly affect my life.

Michael Soffe

Having lost my vote in the UK elections many years ago, and having now had my vote stolen from me in European elections owing to Brexit, it is not a “good” feeling to realise you have no vote anywhere in elections that will be of any importance on your future. I also have pension rights in the UK and I want to make sure these are protected. 

Sian Shaw

I moved to Spain on retirement, but have family and property in the UK, pay tax on my public service pension there and on my property income: I am deeply concerned by the present disastrous political situation. I would lose my right to vote this year unless the new legislation takes effect. 

Linda Theaker

Like it or not, as UK citizens, there are many decisions taken by politicians that affect us directly – Brexit being a typical example. It is absolutely essential that we should be able to vote. I also have interests in the UK, still have to pay some tax in the UK (despite being a fiscal resident here in Spain), and have my family in the UK. What happens to them is very much my concern.

Diana Thurston

I am still a British citizen and I still have a house in Britain where I spend time each year…I should be able to vote in the country where I hold nationality.

Richard Sweeting

Many, many years ago I lost my right to vote in the UK and I would like it restored to enable me to show my agreement or displeasure with the Government of the day over international affairs such as Brexit. 

Roy Stonebridge

There are things that affect us overseas, such as Brexit, the UK economy, pensions and exchange rates and it important to have a say on those issues. 

Ruth Hag

I’ve served my country over my lifetime in the NHS and later on with social services helping others less able. Now that I’ve been retired in Spain for many years , I just want to be able to vote (in my own tiny way) to ensure that these services remain secure in the future.

 

Dorothy Morgan

I am still a UK citizen and depend on my UK pension and a couple of small private pensions. So I feel I have a right to defend my future here in Spain by choosing the political party that is best for me.

Victoria Robinson

I have one Passport and it’s a British Passport, I’m still a British citizen and have a right to be able to vote. I particularly like the idea of having an MP for expats.

Margaret Meg Metcalfe

I am a British citizen and will always remain so. The fact that I executed my right to move to another country in my retirement has no bearing on the fact that the right to vote is a fundamental human right of all citizens. I have a state pension and also a Crown pension, you actually get those for having served your country in some way. I’m a descendent of friends of Emily Pankhurst, who fought alongside her to get the vote for women. They must now be turning in their graves that both men and women have had their votes stolen from them.

Sue Wilson

Like it or not, they are still my government. They have the power to make decisions that directly affect my life in Spain & my mother’s life in a care home in the UK. I rely on a British state pension as my only source of income & the UK government are directly responsible for paying for my healthcare. So, yes, what happens in the UK is very important to me & I want my say!

Nicholas Thorp

Due to the lack of a dual nationality agreement between Spain and the UK, I am unable to exercise my democratic right to vote in anything except local elections in Spain, unless I give up my British nationality. And next year due to the 15-year limit on expat voting rights, I will lose my vote in the UK too. How is Europe democratic if it allows that to happen?

Stewart Luscott-Evans

I have 6 British children, and yet none of us were permitted to participate in any way in the 2016 referendum which stripped us all of our European Union citizenship, despite repeated undertakings in Conservative manifestos.  To say I feel betrayed and angry by the lies of the Leave campaign and the UK government since then is an understatement.

Patrick Howarth

More than anything the fact that I was not allowed to vote in the referendum makes me furious.

David Rosemont

I really object to having no vote anywhere anymore.

Guy Brook-Hart

Brexit has had an effect on many British people with ties to Spain.  Those, like myself, who have lived in Spain for more than 15 years, were disenfranchised and unable to participate in the referendum which affected us more than most other people.  I don’t know if allowing us to vote would have affected the result, but I do think our opinion should have counted.

Martin Lister

I would like the Conservative party promise of being allowed to vote in U.K. elections to be delivered

Valerie Chaplin 

Having lost my vote both in the UK, with the 15-year rule, and here in Spain due to Brexit, I feel totally disenfranchised. Even though I moved to Spain, my pensions and healthcare are still governed by the UK, and I have no say in the outcome. I paid into the system all my life.  

I also have no say on what happens in the UK that affects my friends and family there. 

Lisa Burton 

As a British national living in Spain for 11 years, I have already paid enough tax in the UK to qualify for a full British state pension. I will also pay tax on a private pension, when it matures, to the British government. I have an 18-year-old established company in England that pays significant sums of VAT and corporation tax to the British government while employing individuals and their families. Like many British nationals living overseas, I have adult children who live in Britain, elderly parents and extended family, so, of course, I am deeply invested in the political policies of my home nation as it still affects myself, my business and my family. Also, many of us will end up returning to the UK in our old age to spend time with family and grandchildren or to get support as we age, so links are rarely severed, and strong connections remain. We are the representatives of our home nations while we live abroad and closer ties, more recognition, including a vote for life from our government would certainly have a huge ‘soft power’ benefit to the UK. Something this government seem to have forgotten about. 

Mike Phillips 

I have 3 children and 7 grandchildren in UK, many of whose lives have already been adversely affected or restricted by Brexit. I have lived in Spain for 16 years and pay tax on my Armed Forces and Civil Services pension despite having been disenfranchised, so being able to have a say in decisions made in the UK is very important to me. This is a breach of my fundamental human rights.