Thread by @the3million

1/ Rousing statement by @StephenGethins on EU citizens, Settled Status and the Settled Status fee in the House of @HouseofCommons today:
"The way EU nationals have been treated is a disgrace and no member [of the House of Commons] should be complicit in what is done in our name."

"[...] and nowhere is this clearer than the appalling treatment of our friends and our neighbours who happen to hold a passport from a different European country" @StephenGethins continues

"Would the [Govt] minister agree with me that it is deeply offensive to be asking those who already pay so much in tax, who contribute so much financially, to pay £65 each to remain in their homes. Would anybody on the Govt benches want to defend that?"

Silence from the Govt

4/ here is the tumbleweed moment from the Govt benches - anybody able to defend/justify charging EU citizens £65 for #citizensrights they already hold? Nothing. No one.

Now @StewartMcDonald: "Doesn't it offend natural justice that [EU citizens] are being made to pay that fee for rights they already have [...] They were excluded from the vote [...] had no part to play in the democratic mechanism [...] Govt has done everything to isolate them"

"Wouldnt it show, at least, an element of goodwill if they [the Govt] cancelled the £65 fee [for the EU Settled Status application process]" @StewartMcDonald asks

"[...] with many EU citizens [...] being refused permanent right to remain [...] its not just about the money. There should not be an application. Even a registration would suggest something different. An application implies you can be refused" @Dr_PhilippaW rightly points out

Concluding @StephenGethins asks: "This goes to the heart of what kind of society you want to build [...] Do we have the decency to treat our [EU citizen] friends & neighbours in an appropriate way?"

This is the question that not only parliament needs to answer but all of the UK