Chloe Glover (Reporter)
EXPATS have demanded urgent measures to stop the ‘suffering’ of Brits in Europe.
British nationals including Sue Wilson want the Brexit select committee to compel the government to guarantee EU nationals’ rights in the UK to encourage EU states to reciprocate.
Wilson, of the Bremain in Spain group, made the joint appeal following Theresa May’s landmark Brexit speech on Tuesday.
In it, she shied away making the first move to protect the interests of British nationals living in the EU.
“I would say that something needs to be done with some urgency, because people are suffering now”, said former Oxford resident Wilson, who now lives in Alcocebre, Valencia.
“People have been suffering since 23 June because of the fear and anxiety about what is going to happen in the future.
“The biggest issues are health care and pensions so why is there a need to wait two and a half years to find out whether or not we can keep those?
“I would prefer that she (May) acted unilaterally now. I think that would encourage other countries to reciprocate.
“It will improve relationships at the start of negotiations. I cannot see any reason why the 27 countries would not reciprocate.”
In her speech, May emphasised that she wanted to ‘guarantee’ the rights of both British and EU expats but did not go as far to formally doing so by taking action on the latter.
Wilson went on to urge the Exiting the European Union Committee, headed by Labour MP Hilary Benn, to understand the worries of Brits living in Spain.
“We want to get away from the perception that the people who live in Spain are all on holiday and that they all have a good income. “Many people are really struggling financially (and) have fear and concerns about whether they will be able to afford to stay”, she said.
“Pensioners…are concerned about whether they will be able to afford healthcare if they have to pay for it—they may not be able to.
“If they were forced to return, not only would they be worse off financially and a drain on the already struggling NHS…they are also going to suffer with their health.
“It is not just a financial impact; it is an impact perhaps on their life expectancy.
“Whatever is decided, it needs to be decided soon, because those people cannot wait for two and a half years to get a resolution.”
I’m allergic to the word “expat”. Somehow Brits are never “immigrants”, only expats. Spanish expats in the UK would agree.
My Spanish friend in London calls himself an expat. Get over it.
We are immigrants. Your friend has picked up this term in Spain.
The Bremain in Spain group tends to refer to “expats” as “UK citizens in Spain” or “UK migrants in Spain”.
with all probability ,you will have to return home whether you like it or not. cockiness and sefl sufficiency are enough
Bremain in Spain tends to refer to “expats” as “UK citizens in Spain” or “UK migrants in Spain”. It is the news story that says “expats”.
No AjC, “expatriate” simply means “a person who lives outside their native country”. It’s as simple as that, so please stop fretting over a single word. It has nothing to do with Brexit – it predates all of that by decades.
AND now Paul Preston the man that is always telling lies about Spain,s history is beseching us to allow you to stay , that must be really humilliating to you
It means that you will have to pull up stakes and leave , it will be good for you all in the long run, , deep down inside yourselves you just feel scorn and comtempt for this country , but you will not say so, then, why stay here? it is pathetic how a british hispanist? is beseeching the government of this country to allow you to stay, dont lower yourselves to his level, , stand tall¡ , you dont want to recognize that you are a migrant , of course you are on vacation here till kingdom come, and you are th e cat,s whiskers , best of british ( good tv show) and the creme de la créme , perhaps in your wildest dreams, after youve had one too many , you always drink no less than a double dont ye?
Get a grip on yourself. Everything HAS to be up for negotiation, whether you like it or not, as its the only way the PM will get the best deal for EVERYONE. Some members of the EU have made it very clear that they’re going to be very difficult to deal with so we have to keep ALL options open.
Great plan! “We want major concessions on an unprecedented scale from these people! What shall we do? Let’s insult them and threaten to remove their rights! That should work!”
It’s genius thinking like this which will take Britain back to EXACTLY where you voted to take it.
sorry man , but if youre, residing in Spain , you will have to return in within the next 2 years. your days of arrogance and cockiness are over,
Bastian, people were living and residing in Spain before the EU even existed. Please don’t say silly things that make you look foolish. Oh, and fix your keyboard lol.
Theresa May? Tory blue in tooth and claw?? Get the best deal for *everyone*??? Some fine cognitive dissonance going on in that post. Leaving aside the interests of power in her own party, if you think she generally has a care for British migrants in Spain or Spanish migrants in the UK, I’ll have one of what you’re drinking. Theresa May is now interested only in the opinions of those to the right of her, and the crazier she gets, the fewer there are of those to placate. Soon, she’ll speaking only to herself and any Kippers who are in it for what they believe to be ’empire’. Sue Wilson is daily addressing a real problem worrying thousands of people, and unlike so many BTL, she’s not speaking out of self-aggrandizement, or like people in power, doing for personal gain.
Well said Paul H. Thank goodness for people like Sue
well mister it is not so diificult to reserve a seat on a plane and fly off, you whether you want to , or dont
Theresa May? Tory blue in tooth and claw?? Get the best deal for *everyone*??? Some fine cognitive dissonance going on in that post. Leaving aside the interests of power in her own party, if you think she generally has a care for British migrants in Spain or Spanish migrants in the UK, I’ll have one of what you’re drinking. Theresa May is now interested only in the opinions of those to the right of her, and the crazier she gets, the fewer there are of those to placate. Soon, she’ll speaking only to herself and any Kippers who are in it for what they believe to be ’empire’. Sue Wilson is daily addressing a real problem worrying thousands of people, and unlike so many BTL, she’s not speaking out of self-aggrandizement, or like people in power, doing it for personal gain.
Sue Wilson , a typical self publicising ‘remoaner’ of the liberal left a group that refuses to accept a democratic majority just because it goes against their wishes should get her facts straight. As far as healthcare is concerned the UK has reciprocal rights with many countries outside of the UK & EU , Switzerland is an example, she also goes on about other rubbish pre conceived notions. Theresa May has already said that rights of EU citizens in the UK will be guaranteed the same rights PROVIDED that the EU does the same. Get real Sue!!
Howard, I think what Sue has said is balanced and accurate. There are no guarantees that the EU even can bend the rules any further than they already have to accommodate the UK’s wishes. Strange that the only one of the ‘many’ countries you claim the UK has health agreements with is Switzerland, a deal that will likely disappear along with all the others when we leave the EU. All these things should have been decided before a referendum was done so people knew what they were voting about, instead it’s a mess now and different people voted for different ideas.
so lets get this clear, you are saying that travelling to Westminster to provide evidence to a select committee of MPs at the request of that committee is an example of “refusing to accept democracy”.
No need to sling the insults Howard. ” ..a typical self publicising ‘remoaner’ of the liberal left …” We are all entitled to an opinion. The debate didn’t stop when the Leave camp won a narrow victory. It was a straight yes/no vote, with the leavers even saying that regardless we would stay in the common market and the money that we’d save would go to the NHS, clearly lies. It isn’t moaning to point out that the politicians were lying and are continuing to lie. It isn’t moaning to say people are worried, clearly they are. The fact is 100’s of thousands of people (many now retired) have built their lives based on being in the EU with all the benefits that entails. It is not unreasonable for them to want to keep those rights. Especially as many are now retired and therefore powerless to change or reverse their decisions. They held up their side of the deal, they worked all their lives and paid taxes so that they could enjoy a few years of retirement in the sunshine. The plummeting pound has already cost these people much of their income and removing their right to free healthcare could be the last straw that forces them back into the UK, onto the mercy of the already creaking NHS. Of course it is possible that there will be a reciprocal healthcare agreement – but if it happens, it will have been made possible by people like Sue, prepared to get off her backside and do something that will force it to happen.
That being the NHS propped up by Filipino nurses, Indian doctors and Polish dentists to name but a few nationalities that keep the NHS working. Wonder why the NHS doesn’t openly state how many foreign nationals work there. As I welcome them all going home so the Brits can take over.. wait a minute we haven’t got enough of these people. Cake and eat it has been said so many times but its pretty close!
why do you always complain about europeans going over to Briatain for work but you dont dont dont complain about non EUnationalas like pakis and others? on top of that , you want to reach a trad agrrement with those whom you offend evry day?
Why is the OP allowing this person, “Bastian” to troll in this snide manner?
I for one, object strongly to the the epithet “paki”. It is racist and offensive to British sensibilities , of which you MUST be aware.
So, que pasa?
Steve I agree entirely with your reply. What gets me is that these people who voted to leave are so vindictive towards people who are already suffering as a result of the referendum. There are many retired people in the EU who served Britain in Industry, the armed services, emergency services. the NHS etc. They paid their Taxes and National Insurance contributions and then decided to retire to the EU because they had the right to. Now we have selfish people trying to deny us our rights
you will have the same rights in Spain as a Pakistani letter carrier
Well said, Steve.
Howard you are correct. Unfortunately both Sue and Bev are well behind the times. T.May has said from the word go regarding the rights of peoples living in both the UK and EU country’s and from the word go the EU has dismissed her requests until A50 has been activated. I did mention previously on another forum that people demanding certain rights should be lobbying Brussels and not on Westminster, but even then it would still be a waste of time as we can see. BTW Howard, the UK also have a health agreement with Spain. (at a costly sum to the UK)
What on earth are you on about? None of what you’ve said makes any sense.
Sal Pike. Who was your reply referring to, Howard or me. If it was me then which part did not make sense.
Howard, I dont see what your problem is. The fact is, Sue Wilson was invited, along with others to give evidence on some of the uncertainties and fears of UK citizens living in EU countries. She gave answers to questions in a calm, polite and informed manner, on behalf of our group. Sue demanded nothing, simply asked for clarification of our future situation here. Are you suggesting that our group of concerned people, along with sixteen million plus, should have no right to their opinion? You must surely know that is not the way democracy works.
I have never met Sue Wilson but she is trying to her compatriots in Spain who are worried about Brexit and how it will affect their lives. Only a deluded idiot would think there is absolutely nothing to worry about and that the UK will leave the EU and still continue to receive exactly the same benefits and status as we had before. Forget the arrangement we had pre-EU, that is irrelevant because things have moved on and by the way, Switzerland is part of the EEA which we will be leaving. Absolutely nothing is guaranteed at this stage and the only certainty is uncertainty.
Sue Wilson has kindly offered to represent, help and support people, most of whom are quite old, and yet there are those who actually take the time to come on here and slag her off – perhaps these detractors would like to tell us something about themselves and what their connections are with Spain?
I knew Brexit would prove to be divisive but I had no idea it would get this nasty. So my message to the Leave camp is this, back off and stop shouting everyone down if they do not share your ideology. Why are you so worried, you won the referendum remember?
Very well said Jane G. British subjects have had their legal right to freedom of movement withdrawn without an act of Parliament, it is a very dangerous precedent.
Sue Wilson did a great job of representing the fears of, among others, the hundred thousand or so pensioners who have retired to Spain, many on small fixed incomes, never dreaming that their rights to annual pension increases and health care paid for by the UK government might disappear. These are real fears. As are the fears of the EU27 nationals who are living and working in Britain. There are in total several million people directly affected by these possibilities and others. We have every right to express these fears and to ask that action is taken to address them. It is OUR Government which seems to be about to wreck our lives.
listen my dear lady take a plane and return to Britain if you resid in Spain ,it is easy dont you know not even one travel agency in your neighborhood?
I fear for the many elderly people who find themselves ‘economic prisoners’ in Spain, who, have been able to rent here and enjoy a modestly pleasant lifestyle in the past, but now find their pensions dwindling to the crash of the pound, and given the rising price of rental property in the UK cannot afford to return. For such people, the descent in to poverty does not earn a penny of help for the Spanish social services – if you have not paid in here then they think you don’t exist. It is all very worrying.
Anyone that lives in the EU & thinks that Brexit is not a potential threat to the rights & freedoms they currently enjoy, is burying their head in the sand. We need to educate ourselves, get our paperwork in order, & speak up to protect ourselves. As I found out at the Select Committee meeting on Wednesday, the government is not as well informed as we would hope, & was completely ignorant of how fearful & anxious many are feeling. I do not understand why anyone who is looking to protect themselves should be accused of being undemocratic. I was, & will continue to speak up for all of us. I don’t expect the Leave voters to get that.
Well said, Sue.
Agree, I keep hearing pensioners but there are many people like myself who are younger and have no interest in returning to the UK.
Well said Sue. I for one, am thankful there are people like you who are doing their best to represent and help those who are anxious about what will happen. Pay no heed to those who are all talk and no action.
you will have here in Spain the same right as a moroccan for example , does it not rankles you?
the national police will have access to the padron , local register, next year . many of you dont even hold a NIE just out of laziness and arrogance
Sue’s comments seem entirely sensible to me. We are European citizens and as such have rights conferred upon us that are being taken away, some might say undemocratically, given that many UK migrants who’d been out of the UK for more than 15 years were denied a vote. EU Law protects pension rights, healthcare rights, and residency rights and we are privileged to have them. Who knows if the UK will negotiate to protect these rights. Most certainly, commentators here don’t so shouldn’t so glibly attack someone who is merely seeking early clarity of our position. There are maybe 5 million people across Europe who are currently living in limbo, afraid for their futures, old & young, working & retired. I’m thankful there are people fighting their corner. Well done to Sue and all others brave enough to raise their heads above the parapets in this toxic environment.
The funny thing is the same abusive people will be complaining when the Brexit doesn’t go so smooth and its not a case of Remoaning as the children put it but reality.
Even within the UK government they are talking years and so far haven’t even put anything structured together and given it to the public. Just a Christmas list of demands.
they are not sensible to me, just book a seat on a plane, and leave us in peace her in Spain and sotp doing guesswork online
I’m confused by your posts Bastian. You seem understandably angry about the British xenophobia that resulted in a vote to leave the EU. I agree. I’m angry about it too. I hate xenophobia,and I hate nationalism. I am European, and proud to be so. I’m also proud to live in Spain, a country i adore, a country that I hope will accept me as a citizen in due course.
You claim anger about British arrogance and hostility towards Europe, then display amazing arrogance and hostility towards people, Europeans, who have chosen, as they are privileged to do, to make Spain their home because, presumably, they love Spain. I’d suggest thst the vast majority of people fighting to retain their European citizenship here are pro European, and very much anti nationalism & xenophobia, yet you choose to attack them. There’s the slightest hint of hypocrisy in your posts I think Bastian.
Thanks for the ‘get on a plane & go home’ advice, but I don’t think I’ll take it. My many Spanish friends would miss me and my family and besides, I have two weddings to attend this year of very dear Spanish friends that I wouldn’t miss for the world.
Howard, those of us who have resided outside the UK for over 15 years were denied the right to vote, and many of those who voted leave did so based on the lies of the leave campaign, neither were those aged 16 and 17 allowed to vote, even Farage himself said a few prior to the referendum that if the margin was as small as 48% – 52% there should be a second referendum. Why should I respect the result of a referendum in which I was denied a say? This wasn’t an election that comes every 4 or 5 years, this was a once in a life time decision and given the way it was carried out we have every right to be concerned about ours and our countries future. BTY Howard, what could be more British than moaning? LOL
do not complain and grumble like and old wive , be a man and accept that you will have to leave reluctanly of course , you prefer a bangladeshi or jamaican on british soil to any EUnational that is an act of disloyalty , and you still want trade agreements , trade agreements , my foot, or my posterior
Sue is campaigning tirelessly to protect the rights of British citizens living in EU27 countries, specifically Spain.
Many Brits living in other EU countries are understandably concerned about whether they will be able to continue with their established lives in their host country after Brexit. There are many rights at stake, many different circumstances regarding work status, age, and residency, and the issues are very complex. These people need reassurance as soon as possible, and it is wrong to make light of their concerns.
Many of these people paid tax all their working life in the UK; all of them are British citizens, and thus have an intrinsic right to be protected by their government. They were perfectly within their rights to move abroad under the law and framework that was in place when they made that decision. Sue and her fellow campaigners are doing their best to ensure that their rights are respected, and they have my utmost respect.
By all means, feel free to vote to renounce your own rights, but don’t mock those who fight to hold onto theirs.
iit is best to leave even now than suffer later, mister, this who prefer a jamaican or a hindustani to an european on british soil dont deserve the right to reside in any EU country , by the way I never heard farage grumbling and kvetching about pakistanies inmigrating over to Britain , , that is just a nationalist point of view
It will be as if everyone in Spain from the UK suddenly became Australian overnight. Rights held as an EU citizen dissolve and everyone will get what rights they might have as a third country national. That means everyone is illegal and needs to apply for a visa as they are not tourists on a visa waiver. That first round of problems will get sorted out pretty quickly, Spain will just issue visas for everyone (except anyone they don’t want for any reason). Then there are secondary problems, like spouses who are there on a visa that is conditional on being the spouse of an EU citizen. Their visa is now invalid, and they may have to leave. Mostly solvable problems, some families will be split up, there may well be quite a few (tens of thousands?) people returning to the UK, but thousands of others leaving. This is not in any sense a punishment by the EU on the UK, it is the natural, unavoidable predictable and predicted consequences of voting for Brexit. It is what it means to stop being a member of the EU, and people voted to do that, having been told that doing so would hurt lots of people.
Sue Wilson speaks for many expats, there is absolutely nothing undemocratic about fighting for something you believe in passionately. Sue is supported by thousands of expats who for a variety of reasons genuinely believe that leaving the EU is fundamentally wrong and will be harmful to the United Kingdom. Her comments are entirely sensible and relevant to so many who are being simply ignored by this government. To proceed with whatever kind of Brexit Mrs May ends up with is foolhardy, given that it was a small minority of 3.5% who voted leave.
Sue should be praised for the way she presented her case at the select committee, she was confident, articulate and honest.
I like the responses from Brexit supporters, they are dressed up as, We won you lost get over it. Remainers are traitors. Why can’t you accept democracy. Stop trying to thwart a legally binding referendum (it never was). Just accept the will of the people.
I am so glad that Sue Wilson has done this. She has expressed the sincere concerns of many UK citizens resident in Spain. I moved here 13 years ago to set what has become a successful business. I am aghast that I will be unilaterally stripped of my EU citizenship. I have no idea what effect BREXIT will have on my business. I doubt I will be able to order components form the UK. Until now we have been loyal customers of a specialist supplier in N Ireland. The economic and personal ramifications of BREXIT are legion.
if you dont want Spain to veto any proposal about trade agreements, you know what to do ,,,joint sovereignity over Gibraltar, Spain will not issue any visa to anyone, you will have to leave whether you want to or not, and next year the national police will have access to the local register no they dont , it wont be difficult to track you down and deport you like an african who has just climbed over the wall around Ceuta
For God’s sake, go and troll somewhere else; you’ve made your xenophobia and racism quite clear enough in these comments.
Part of any democratic process is to listen to both sides of any argument. What Ms Wilson did was well done and truly represents the views of MANY Brits who have chosen to use their RIGHT to live anywhere in the EU. We are NOT criminals or traitors for doing that surely. What is clearly the KEY point in Mays speech is the threat which comes right at the end. The rich friends of the Tory party are deliberately itrying to antagonise the EU so that no better deal than the one we already have will be possible. This will then give them what they really want.: a completely UNREGULATED Tax haven which will be fine for the rich but will convert the rest of the population, both Leavers and Remainers to being slaves.
Sue WIlson voices, most eloquently, the concerns of those of us who chose to live in the EU for many good reasons like jobs and families and made that decision with no conception that our rights could suddenly be taken away. If pensioners in particular are forced back to the UK it would be a significant drain on the NHS, and we would be entitled to a lot more in benefits than we are currrently. Our homes are here, many of our families are here. How would these angry Brexiters feel if they were in danger of losing all they hold dear and have to start all over again in their 70’s in a country full of hate that they no longer recognise? I don’t understand all the hatred and vitriol- what are they so afraid of? They can leave the EU if they must, we just ask that our long existing rights- paid for over a lifetime of contributions, are protected in the process.
I know most English are very small minded compared to other nationalities are are very easily scared but do try and have a broader view.
it’s a numbers game, surely no one is so stupid they can’t see that. Of the 1.2 million Brits living in other EU countries principally Spain,France, Germany and the Netherlands just what percentage do you think are earning a living rather than being retired – around 8%.
Do you know how many EU citizens are living in the UK – around 3.2 million of those 98% are working and at least 92% of those are East European. In fact in the UK,France,Germany,The Netherlands and Spain there are over 7 million East Europeans. I know many French have had enough of losing jobs to these East Europeans who make no attempt at all to make friends with the French and as the French know are only in France for the money.
So the Germans, or rather the German business elite who have virtually from the beginning controlled the direction of the EEC which morphed into the EU along with French and UK elites wanted more cheap labour, a good way to frighten and control their native labour markets, wanted the enlargement of the EU when many warned of the dangers.
If they push to disenfranchise British nationals, they will find the pushback by Britain will very quickly destroy their EU federalism in a flash. Just imagine the 3.2 million EU nationals returning home and that’s just from the UK. The French hubris is going to give them a very nasty shock – there are, just in London over 650,000 French, not pensioners but working. There is no way that the French can provide jobs for that number maybe 50,000. The Social Security costs will be enormous. Just imagine if all the East Europeans are forced to return home – all their economies will crash and with the support of the Catholic church, Fascism will return with a vengeance and all these countries are at the backdoor of Germany and Austria.
For sure the EU will collapse and with it the German engineered Euro. With a new German currency it will rocket and destroy their economic advantages.
May intends to leave the EU Customs Union – that is great news for the British economy but a disaster for France. It will lose an enormous amount of business – the booze and fag trips to Dieppe, Calais,Le Havre, Cherbourg are finished, it will destroy the economies of northern France. Already France produces far more vin ordinaire than it can sell, all those vinyards will be wiped out.
If the stupid Spanish try to play heavy, we can destroy their tourist industry. We really don’t have to buy their chemical laden produce form plasticland in Andalucia and Murcia, we can construct our own salad crop industry which we once had around Worthing in Sussex and provide employment for our own. This will of course wipe out the jobs of thousands of Spanish transport workers as well. Forgot to mention that this will also destroy the jobs of thousands and thousands of Dutch greenhouse jobs as well, not to mention their pork industry and that of Denmark as well, I for one never enjoyed the bacon injected with lots of water produced by the Dutch and Danes.
So if those of you who are so pathetically frightened can overcome your fear, then you will see who is holding the aces. Of course with the millions returning home the property market will crash and I do mean crash not only in London and the SE but over the country as a whole, the BTL scum will be crying all the way to their bankruptcy hearings and once again ordinary Brits will be able to buy their homes for a rational price. A word of warning, remember to remove all monies held in UK banks that are over the guarantee limit – there is nothing to fear but fear itself.
I am not sure where you get your figures from but, for example, 92% of EU citizens living in the UK is vastly exaggerated at it is less than half. Most come from EU14 countries …even if this was relevant.
The point here is not Brits from Spain being ‘sent home’ but being forced to go back due to no right to reside or work … or no reciprocal healthcare agreements being in place. Financially they would not be able to survive and potentially could be left homeless. Many did not even have a vote, so had no say in all this.
How about some sources for your figures?
According to MigrationWatchUK (see briefing paper 354), there are 2.1m EU-born migrants working in the UK – so 63% of the total, not 98%. Of those, 1.6m are from the EU14 (i.e. not Eastern Europe). So that makes 1.7m from Eastern Europe and Cyprus, so again, 51%, not 92%.
The site also states that of the 1.2m UK citizens living in the EU, it is estimated that around 800K are workers and their dependants – so 66% are earning a living, not 8%.
As for foreign economies crashing if EU nationals return home – do you imagine that the UK is the only place that employs EU nationals from other countries? In percentage terms the number of nationals working in the EU is tiny. Even if your figure of 650,000 French working in London is correct (which I doubt, given your inability to get the previous figures right), that would represent less than 2% of the total French workforce.
And getting rid of the “booze cruises” to France is going to “destroy” the economies of northern France?! Get real!
Here’s some other figures:
Around 44% of UK exports go to the rest of the EU (see the fullfact.org website). If we don’t have free trade with the EU, and companies have to start paying Export / Import Duty, then much of that trade will disappear.
On the EU side, the most generous estimate puts EU exports to the UK at only 17% of the total exports – so the EU can far more easily afford to lose the trade than the UK can.
“This will of course wipe out the jobs of thousands of Spanish transport workers as well.”… possibly, but many of the companies that transport produce from Spain to the UK are British-owned too, and, as mentioned above, the UK is not the only place that Spain exports produce to.
Yet another Leaver with delusions about the UK’s importance to the EU. I know the EU would much rather that the UK stays, but there is no way that they’re going to give the UK a better deal outside of the EU than the countries that remain inside it.
I enjoy a relaxed and happy lifestyle here in Spain where when I leave home people look me in the eye as I walk past and wish me Good Morning. I am on first-name terms with all the shopkeepers who are actually pleased to see me and have time for a quick chat and they all ask about my dog who had a freak accident in 2015 and can no longer walk. I rent a house near the town centre and walk everywhere. I live a simple life and had peace of mind until the result of the referendum turned my world upside down. The £ immediately slumped against the Euro and my pension dropped in value accordingly. I enjoy free healthcare and extremely low prescription charges. I paid NI contributions all my working life therefore my pension and healthcare are not BENEFITS, I worked and paid for them. Sue Wilson spoke on behalf of all British immigrants to Spain as she was invited to do and at last our voice was heard. I could be forced to return to the UK to live on every benefit I am entitled to and lose both my independence and dignity. I need someone like Sue Wilson to speak up for me and I am a proud Remainer and happy to belong to Bremain in Spain, it is a lifeline.
I am afraid your days here among us Sandra are just a countdown, i do really like Britain except for that still smouldering arrogance and cockiness, TORY Coercion is not now and never was a mean to convince others, and as I said I do really like your culture but this marriage between britain and spain is on the rocks, if you want me to keep you posted , I will be glad to do so,
You will not get that friendly service in the UK Sandra, out of interest can you not become a Spanish National to save all the worry ?
Well done Howard….You have successfully drawn attention to everything that is wrong with Brexit! Thanks for that……..
…. the so called ‘democratic majority’ ???? Many British migrants were denied a vote on their future. That doesn’t seem very democratic to me!
I think you have some facts to get straight, as you seem to be some ‘self professed expert’…your own preconceived notions seem a little suspect.
How refreshing to read so many sensible posts on here and what a departure from some of the Kipper-style rants we often get. Brexiteers often shout about ‘democracy’ but denying a vote on something as life changing as Brexit to people who have lived in other EU member states for more than 15 years is about as undemocratic as you can get. What is democratic about stripping away part of our citizenship against our will?
Please keep pushing your MPs and MEPs to support the proposed associate EU citizenship scheme.
Impressive groundswell of opinion against Brexit. But where the hell were you all while Farage and his maggots were burrowing their toxic way through the body politic for the past few years?
Horses and stable doors come to mind.
Two quotes come to mind:
“Don’t argue with idiots because they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience”. – Greg King
“Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference”. —Mark Twain
Unfortunately, I think that’s exactly what happened before the referendum. I personally was challenging every pro-leave FB comment – in many cases that simply got me unfriended or even banned from the page. Personally I blame the pro-EU Politicians for (a) setting a referendum with only a 50%+1 majority needed for such a drastic constitutional change – most other countries which use Referenda in this way require a 65% or more majority. (b) getting into mud-slinging matches with Leavers rather than calmly outlining all the benefits that the EU brings.
Stefanjo, once again I seem to agree with you, but surely regarding this subject, the attention should have been directed more towards Brussels as they have insisted in not discussing the subject until A50 has been activated although T.May has tried to reassure people since the referendum which no doubt will be part of any future agreements. it’s not the British government that is against the plight of ALL expats which brings me to the point of saying has Sue Wilson, of the Bre-main in Spain group, made a joint appeal to Brussels which has not been mentioned once on this forum and the compel that Sue is seeking will be fought for by the British government.
put that in your pipe and smoke it stefanjo. , pretty soon you will know the rules, …………an average of 8 hour,s wait on the border between Gibraltar and ……… buy yourself some bottles of fresh mineral water on your approach to the gate , and still better sell them to those whose shirts will be soaked in ¿ sweat ? and ,as for any trade agreement , we shall veto EveRYTHING, that picardo can propose , we want him on all fours and with an apple between his buttocks is that understood or shall I say in the scorpion,s language?
Tell that to your thousands of countrymen bastian, who will boost the manufacture of begging bowls, because that is the only work available for them if your frantic dreams about Gib. come true.
La Linea will look prettier too, with all the tumbleweed blowing through it.
“Democracy” does not mean simply accepting a result – in this case, a narrow win – and then “sucking it up” and being quiet. Brexit might be the will of *some* people but what about the other half of the electorate… oh, not forgetting the British citizens in EU countries who were disallowed a vote and the 16-17 year-olds whose future was being decided for them? Democracy means having your say and supporting what you believe is right. I await a change of opinion from many UK-based Leave voters when inflation forces up their cost of living and jobs are lost. Sadly, it is the poorest people who will be most affected. Meanwhile, we British migrants are living in a climate of uncertainty about our futures here in Spain. My children were born EU citizens, with EU passports. How can this be taken away against our will and with very little consultation? I am proud of Sue Wilson for putting the situation of British migrants in Spain in front of the Select Committee.
As a retired British citizen in Spain I am totally in agreement with Sue Wilson and very grateful for her standing up and speaking on our behalf. We have had seven months of worry and uncertainty and no one in the UK has spoken up for us. I came to Spain to retire. It was my legal right to move here and receive the same treatment as any Spanish person choosing to move to the UK. Now that right is threatened and I could lose everything I have worked for my entire life and be forced to return to the UK with nothing. I won’t just say ‘oh well, it’s the will of the people’ I intend to fight for my rights and if leave voters don’t like that well that’s their problem.
Val a change of airs will do a lot of good , just remember those misty wet streets. and fresh wiry grass , You brits have always scorned and despised this country , you will pan into whatever we do . and the diffErence betwen Briatin and Spain is now 100 -80 it means that if a britisher has 100 euro a spaniR rd has 80 , so DONT CALL, YOURSELVES RICH in comparison to us , , you are not SWEDEN OR DENMARK , , STOP GIVING YOUR SELVES AIRS OF GRANDEUR or false importance , you prefer a jamaican to any Eu national on your soil , as that referendum has clearly proved and with a vengeance. whats the matter? , you need more people from these cultures ? is it not more logical to welcome a EU national than it is a to take in someone from the midddle east or Asia now You have to pick up the tab, nEVER DID fARAGE COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PRESENCE OF JAMAICANS IN bRITAIN , THAT IS VERY SUSPICIOUS TO EVRYONE
Wow baSTIAN, you’ve really got it in for Jamaicans, haven’t you? Wonder why?
I think if you read back through all the comments, you’ll see that the majority of people *love* Spain and the Spanish people. Who, in the comments above, has said that they scorn and despise Spain? It’s clear from all your comments, however, that you scorn and despise the British (not to mention the Jamaicans!)
Who’s calling themselves rich? If you actually bothered to read and understand this article, you would see that the article is about Sue Wilson (a Brit), pleading with the UK government to guarantee the rights of EU nationals living in Britain in the hope that the EU will reciprocate – why, as an EU national, would you be opposed to that? Would you rather that the UK forced all the Spanish living there to leave?
The reason us Brits are keen for rights to be guaranteed (both for EU nationals in the UK and vice-versa) is precisely because most of us *aren’t* rich. We *need* things like healthcare to be paid for by the UK government, or to be able to continue working here. If we were rich enough to afford not to work, or to pay for our own healthcare, it wouldn’t matter.
I’m not even sure where your “100-80” argument is all about. Are you referring to the Exchange Rate? Or the cost of living? Either way, you clearly don’t understand economics.
The referendum has proved that we prefer Jamaican immigrants? Sorry, I don’t recall the referendum question mentioning Jamaicans – or in fact any nationality. If you’d followed the Brexit campaign at all you would know that the Leave campaigners were against *all* immigration, not just from the EU.
Expats? What expats? You are just inmigrants, like anybody else. You are not special. Anyway, I just do not get all this moaning: if you want to remain in Spain with the same rights you enjoy now just apply for the Spanish nationality, which is what millions of inmigrants like you have done in the past and continue to do. Good luck and best regards from a Spaniard.