Brexit: Campaigners seek judicial review of 2016 vote

Brexit: Campaigners seek judicial review of 2016 vote

Dec 9, 2018 | Articles, Campaigns & Events, News

The UK in EU Challenge group says the result should be quashed because of “misconduct” by pro-Leave campaigners.

Mr Justice Ouseley’s decision is expected on either Monday or Tuesday.

An earlier attempt to challenge the result was rejected on the grounds that it had not been proven that any wrongdoing affected the vote’s outcome.

The case is being brought against the government by four British citizens living on the European continent, Susan Wilson, Elinore Gayson, Carole-Anne Richards and John Shaw.

They say the Article 50 process, by which the UK is leaving the EU, should be halted due to breaches of spending limits and other irregularities by leave-supporting groups during the referendum.

Lawyers for the group say the infractions, which resulted in Vote Leave and Leave.EU being fined £61,000 and £70,000 respectively by the Electoral Commission earlier this year, cast doubt on the legitimacy of the result under the terms of the 1983 Representation of The People Act.

‘Proven illegalities’

Speaking after the hearing, Susan Wilson said she was hopeful of success.

“We also maintain our firm belief that the referendum result cannot be considered the ‘will of the people’,” she said.

“The Leave campaign’s fraudulent behaviour has been proven by the Electoral Commission and we are continually frustrated that the government fails to acknowledge the impact of this illegality and continues to defend its position.”

Read full story on the BBC website

Brexit Legality Challenged: Susan Wilson v. The Prime Minister

Brexit Legality Challenged: Susan Wilson v. The Prime Minister

Nov 15, 2018 | Campaigns & Events, News

For the last three months, as lead claimant versus the Prime Minister, I have been living and breathing the UK in EU legal challenge. I have learnt some new terminology and spent hours reading documents which might as well have been written in Swahili. Mostly, I been doing a lot of waiting, and then some more. The premise of our case against the Prime Minister is this – we are asking the High Court to find on two issues that could fundamentally alter the Brexit process:

  • To declare the Referendum result invalid due to the Leave campaign’s proven disregard for spending rules.
  • To subsequently find that the basis for Theresa May’s decision to trigger Article 50 is unreliable because of this wrongdoing. To argue that the referendum produced a small majority in favour of leaving is an irrational basis for such a momentous and far-reaching decision.

 

The Government has responded to our challenge. Its arguments contend that our claim was out of time, having not been submitted within a set timescale following either the referendum itself, or the triggering of Article 50.

We argue that we are within time as the Electoral Commission’s findings that Vote Leave broke the law have only recently been published.

All legal arguments/documents from both sides are available on our website:

https://www.ukineuchallenge.com/

Our challenge hit a stumbling block when the High Court refused permission for a substantive hearing. However, the swift action of our legal team meant a “Notice of Renewal” was submitted within 7 days and an oral permission hearing was secured.

Read full article in Impakter

Why Britons in Spain need to fight for another Brexit referendum

Why Britons in Spain need to fight for another Brexit referendum

Nov 14, 2018 | Articles, Campaigns & Events, News

There is an unfortunate but prevalent stereotype that British migrants in Spain are all pensioners who laze around, sunning it on the coast.

They lie on their loungers, maybe occasionally skipping off for a round of golf or a game of bridge with their retired friends, all the while refusing to learn the language or mingle with locals. If they want to make a concession to Spanish culture, they might swap gin and tonics for a jug of sangria every now and then.

Not only is that image unfortunate, it is untrue. Around three-quarters of British migrants in Spain are members of younger, working families who are taking advantage of the opportunities the European Union offers them.

The pattern is similar across the EU27 – 80% of Brits in these countries are young people who are greatly appreciative of how they have been welcomed with open arms.

 

 

Read full story in El Pais

Bremain in Spain celebrates huge turnout at People’s Vote march

Bremain in Spain celebrates huge turnout at People’s Vote march

Nov 14, 2018 | Articles, Campaigns & Events, News

MEMBERS of the 5,000-strong Bremain in Spain association are celebrating a turnout of an estimated 700,000 people at the People’s Vote march in London on Saturday (October 20).

The rally, organised by the People’s Vote campaign, called for a vote on any final Brexit deal between the UK and the EU. Wide-ranging groups, including Bremain in Spain and Españoles de Reino Unido, attended from across the UK and Europe.

See story in Costa News

Brits from Malaga and Granada take part in biggest anti-Brexit march since referendum

Brits from Malaga and Granada take part in biggest anti-Brexit march since referendum

Nov 14, 2018 | Articles, Campaigns & Events, News

Brits living in Malaga and Granada provinces were among those who travelled to London from all corners of Europe and the UK for last Saturday’s People’s Vote march.

The march was organised by The People’s Vote campaign group which wants the government to hold a referendum on the final Brexit deal.

While no official statistics have been released, estimates range from 700,000 people to one million attending the event.

Pat Laing, who lives in Malaga, flew back to the UK especially for the march. She said, “I went because not a day has gone by since the June 2016 referendum when I haven’t been furious about the whole Brexit referendum campaign.”

She added that “the arrogant complacency of the Remain campaign, the lies, manipulation and the illegal funding of the Leave campaign, the effects of 40 years of negative narrative about the EU that the UK population have been fed, but most of all the risk to peace and harmony in Ireland that Brexit represents” all compelled her to be at what could well be the final protest of its kind before the UK leaves the EU, on 29 March next year.

Full story in The Sur

Bremain in Spain joins 670,000-strong People’s Vote march

Bremain in Spain joins 670,000-strong People’s Vote march

Nov 14, 2018 | Articles, Campaigns & Events, News

BRITS living in Spain are on their way home after joining the 670,000-strong People’s Vote march in central London calling for the public to have a final say on any Brexit deal – and for this vote to include an option to remain in the European Union. Bremain in Spain, a campaign group fighting Brexit with over 5,200 members on its Facebook site, joined the march with their slogan ‘Brexit is Bonkers’ and wore yellow baseball caps and blue T-shirts.

Many of Bremain in Spain’s members and supporters have begun posting their own photographs of the day’s march on social media, which show a wealth of imagination among remainers. The most-liked so far reads: “My mother-in-law lives in Spain. Please don’t make them send her back here!”, while other popular banners read: “Even Baldrick had a plan;” “Jacob’s Crackers,” in the style of the popular water biscuits and referring to Tory hard-line Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg; “Ikea has better cabinets;” “Nice one, Dave,” referring to British prime minister David Cameron who held the referendum on leaving or remaining in the EU; “June 24, 2016: Worst hangover ever,” referring to the day after the referendum; “This is the worst trade negotiation since Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,” and even, “This is like when Geri overestimated her viability as a solo artist and left the Spice Girls;” although the latter may not be the best analogy, given that Geri Halliwell had two number one singles and two best-selling albums within as many years of leaving the band.

A mother and daughter walked side by side carrying blue banners with the EU sign of a ring of yellow stars, the mother’s reading: “Pulling out doesn’t work,” and the daughter’s, with an arrow pointing to her mother, reading: “My mum.”

A counter-protest by the pro-Brexit association Leave Means Leave attracted just 1,200 marchers, whilst the People’s Vote march filled the streets wall-to-wall from Marble Arch to the British Parliament building.

 

 

 

Read full article in Think Spain…