The Brexit soap opera rumbles on but now you can play a part

The Brexit soap opera rumbles on but now you can play a part

Mar 18, 2019 | Articles, News, Sue Wilson Writes

I hope you’ve been paying close attention to the latest developments in Westminster over the last couple of weeks. The viewing public has been gifted nightly with extended episodes of the Brexit soap opera, full of drama and surprises, betrayal and back-stabbing.

All that’s missing from the end-of-season finale is a wedding and a murder! Don’t worry if you’ve missed anything – the lead characters will return this week for a repeat performance.

For those who missed last week’s momentous events, here’s a brief synopsis:

True to her word, the Prime Minister scheduled three days of debates and votes with the hope of making progress on Brexit. On Tuesday March 12th, May’s deal went back to the House of Commons for a second ‘meaningful vote’, only to suffer another spectacular defeat, although by a slightly less humiliating margin than first time round.

On Wednesday March 13th, parliament finally had a more substantial debate on ruling out a no-deal scenario. May’s motion was rather woolly, stating that while parliament could rule it out, no-deal would remain the default option if her deal wasn’t accepted. Thankfully, Labour MP Yvette Cooper ensured that parliament voted against a no-deal scenario under any circumstances, thereby providing much-needed relief for people who were losing sleep over that prospect.

The final event came on Thursday March 14th, with the promised debate and vote on asking the EU to extend Article 50. This was a government motion but May allowed a free vote to discourage resignations from Tory ministers. Eight cabinet ministers took advantage of that freedom and voted against the government, including the Brexit Secretary himself!

So, by the end-of-week finale, May’s deal had been voted down, a no-deal scenario had been ruled out, and it was confirmed that we are not leaving the EU on March 29th, whatever happens next. (I don’t like to say “I told you so” but I will anyway!)

Read Sue’s full article in The Local

Sue Wilson Writes: Having a second Brexit referendum is the only way ‘to take back control’

Sue Wilson Writes: Having a second Brexit referendum is the only way ‘to take back control’

Mar 18, 2019 | Articles, News, Sue Wilson Writes

Isn’t it high time we “took back control” of the referendum process to establish if leaving the EU really is the “will of the people”, argues Sue Wilson from Bremain in Spain.  Since the fateful day of 23 June 2016, I have never been able to respect the result of the Brexit referendum.

At first, my lack of acceptance was due to my reaction of shock, anger and sadness. It was then exacerbated by the emerging lies and misinformation of the Vote Leave campaign, which persuaded so many people to vote the way they did, through no fault of their own.
 
Over time, it has become increasingly clear that the people behind the lies and misinformation were complicit in breaking the law, including some senior members of government.
 
The Vote Leave Campaign were fined the maximum amount possible by the Electoral Commission, having exceeded legal spending limits, especially in the run-up to the referendum. Vote Leave was subsequently referred to the Metropolitan Police and National Crime Agency to answer possible criminal charges.
 
Several months later, we still await the outcome – or any news whatsoever – of those investigations.
 
Recently, I took Theresa May to court, through the UK in EU Challenge, to question the validity of the referendum result. The premise of our case, known as “Wilson vs. The Prime Minister”, was that the illegal activity renders the result of the referendum unsound, and that the Prime Minister made an error of judgement in activating Article 50 in the belief she was acting on the “will of the people”.

Our legal team believes that Leave’s overspend directly affected the referendum result and, even if it hadn’t, the result was still invalid.

 
Read the full article in The Local
 
Bremainers in Spain reassured by ‘REMAIN THE SAME’ royal decree on expats, but ‘alarm bells’ raised over UK reciprocity

Bremainers in Spain reassured by ‘REMAIN THE SAME’ royal decree on expats, but ‘alarm bells’ raised over UK reciprocity

Mar 18, 2019 | Articles, News

Under the decree, expats will have guaranteed healthcare provision until at least 2020 and continued access to unemployment benefits and pensions.

The Spanish Foreign Minister, Josep Borrell, stated that the objective was to leave no British citizens, or their families, unprotected and for things to ‘remain the same’ as they are now.

However the royal decree is conditional on Theresa May’s government giving the same rights to Spaniards living and working in Britain.

Bremain in Spain chair Sue Wilson said: “This is excellent news, and proves what we have believed all along – that the Spanish authorities have our best interests at heart and value our contribution to Spanish society.”

The decree states that if there are no reciprocal arrangements within two months, the Spanish cabinet can suspend it.

Wilson said: “This element has raised alarm bells with some Bremain in Spain members. While they have every faith in the Spanish government to treat us fairly and with compassion, they do not extend that faith to the British government’s treatment of EU citizens.

Full story in The Olive Press

Vote Leave cheated in the 2016 Brexit vote – how would we stop them doing it again?

Vote Leave cheated in the 2016 Brexit vote – how would we stop them doing it again?

Mar 18, 2019 | Articles, News

The events of the last fortnight in UK politics has travelled at lightning speed. A group of rebel MPs have broken ranks to form The Independent Group and Labour finally seem committed to backing a further Brexit referendum with an option to remain.

Just as significant, but less widely reported, the court of appeal – which yesterday confirmed their oral decision in writing – have struck out a claim arguing that the prime minister’s decisions to trigger Article 50 and pursue the Brexit process are flawed in light of the corrupt and illegal practices in the 2016 referendum. 

The crowdfunded legal challenge sought to establish that since the sole basis for the prime minister deciding to take the UK out of the EU was her view that it represented “the democratic will of the people”, it was unreasonable for her simply to ignore subsequent findings by the Electoral Commission of serious offences, including overspending, incorrect reporting and unlawful funding by Vote Leave and Leave.EU. On this basis, Jessica Simor QC for the lead claimant, Susan Wilson, submitted that the vote was not “free and fair” and thus, not capable of representing the “democratic will of the people”.

 

Lawyers for the prime minister did not dispute the findings made, but contended that Theresa May was aware of the multiple investigations into the referendum (including ongoing inquiries and cases yet to be finalised) and these did not make her decision making unlawful. The referendum was advisory and, as such, did not fall within the scope of legislation that might, in other circumstances, void an election by virtue of lawbreaking. Indeed, the court of appeal held that “an advisory referendum is a very different animal from a binding election”. Though the case will not progress to full hearing, the arguments ventilated during it leave many questions hanging about the state of our democracy.  

See full article in The Independent

Sue Wilson Writes: Brexit month is finally here – or is it?

Sue Wilson Writes: Brexit month is finally here – or is it?

Mar 6, 2019 | Articles, News, Sue Wilson Writes

Sue Wilson UK May 2018Sue Wilson, chair of Bremain in Spain, reckons that Brexit could be further away than at any time during the last 18 months.

Whether you’re excited or terrified about the prospect of looming Brexit day, recent developments may have led you to question whether it will happen, as scheduled, on March 29th.

Over the last few months, Prime Minister Theresa May has remained adamant that the UK is leaving on the stated date, even if that means leaving without a deal. In fact, she has reminded us that she intends to remove the United Kingdom from the European Union on March 29th over 100 times, with an increasingly insistent tone.

In the last few days, the tone of the rhetoric has noticeably softened. No longer are we “definitely” leaving this month – instead, there’s talk of the government ‘aiming’ to leave on March 29th, and it still being possible to do so.

Inevitably, any talk of moving the goalposts with the exit date leads to discussions of a delay and extension to Article 50.

May is now openly discussing the possibility of an extension, although her preference is for just two months. As has frequently been the case with Brexit, May has misjudged her authority – any decision on the length of an extension will not be hers to make.

The EU favours a longer extension period: in fact, up to two years. According to Michel Barnier, the EU might consider a “technical extension” – however, only if May’s deal is passed by parliament, and solely for ensuring that the necessary legislation is passed.

The EU proposal seems to be to remain in the EU for what would have been the transition period, while simultaneously being able to start discussions on future trading arrangements. This would allow time for a rethink and, perhaps, a softening of May’s red lines, should her deal fail to be accepted by parliament on March 12th when it returns to the House of Commons for the ‘meaningful vote’ mark II.

Read full article in The Local