1/ FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT MUST END. WE NEED TO CONTROL OUR BORDERS. WE NEED TO LEAVE THE EU
2/ That was one of the core arguments for leaving the EU and has been one of the core redlines set by @theresa_may in approach to the Brexit negotiations
3/ And what a monumental waste of time, energy and goodwill that redline has been. Why so? Surely it is great that EU citizens will have their rights guaranteed?
Well it is, but let's back up a minute
Well it is, but let's back up a minute
4/ Firstly, FOM has never been an unlimited right that has meant we lost control of our borders.
We are outside Schengen. EVERYONE has to show their passport to come into the UK.
We are outside Schengen. EVERYONE has to show their passport to come into the UK.
5/ Secondly, FOM is not an unlimited rights. Its scope is set out here
eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/…
eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/…
6/ Article 7 says you can stay for more than 3 months if you are a worker or self employed or have sufficient resources to support yourself and not be a burden on the social assistance system and have comprehensive sickness insurance
7/ The UK Government has never bothered to properly apply the limits of that directive. Instead it whinged about the loss of control the UK had
8/ Thirdly, the Government never makes the argument as to how FOM benefits UK citizens by giving them opportunities to study, live and work in 27 other countries
9/ So following the referendum @theresa_may steadfastly ignores the fact that leaving the EU means taking away rights from every single UK citizen
10/ But the worst thing about this whole sorry omnishambles is that the referendum excluded people from voting who would be directly affected by the referendum even though the UK happily takes their taxes
11/ It not only excluded them but then the Government referred to them as "bargaining chips" and refused to unilaterally guarantee their existing rights. Instead it is proposing to force all of them to pay to reapply for less rights
12/ And against that backdrop, the UK has continually threatened "no deal is better than a bad deal" and is now resorting to stockpiling food and medicine.
13/ But no deal would immediately plunge millions of citizens in the UK (and the rest of the EU) into a situation where they have no rights.
14/ What a message to send to the world. Here is Global Britain, come here, build your life, you will never be one of us (we wont let you vote on things that affect you), you may lose your rights, we might deport you (we are good at that).
15/ And then we faced with the catastrophe of a no deal the Government suddenly talks about unilaterally guaranteeing rights of EU citizens. But not because it is the right thing to do.
Oh no, it's to stop labour shortages.
Oh no, it's to stop labour shortages.
16/ So not only has the UK treated millions of people like shit in excluding them from the referendum, leaving them in limbo, it now turns out the UK needs them more than it realised
17/ This is not Global Britain and its a mess.
18/ For all the millions of EU citizens who have come here to study, work and live, have built your lives, taught us, trained us, worked with us, loved us, created families with us, looked after us and helped make the UK, I am sorry we have treated you like this.
