How to Fight Brexit: Practical Campaigning Training

How to Fight Brexit: Practical Campaigning Training

Jan 31, 2018 | Campaigns & Events, News

Following a hugely successful campaign running training events across the UK, Best for Britain are bringing their show on the road to Spain. They will be jointly hosting an exclusive campaign event with Bremain in Spain for our group members and their guests.

 

Saturday 10th February at 11am – 2:30pm

ALICANTE 

 

Best for Britain will be sharing their strategy with us, training you in practical campaigning, discussing how to be more persuasive when talking to Leave voters and giving you the tools to fight Brexit which you can teach to others.

These events are about practical steps you can take to make a difference. They are hands on, interactive sessions driven by two key principles:

1. We must get out of the echo chamber and persuasively talk about a No Brexit option to expand our supporter base
2. Our efforts have to go from mass rallies to direct action, to build the base and apply constant pressure to MPs to sustain change.

Following the training session, there will be a Q and A session with the Best for Britain trainer and Bremain in Spain Council members, including our Chair Sue Wilson.

This event is only open to Bremain in Spain members. If you would like to join Bremain in Spain and get more detailed information about the event, please click on the link below and ask to join.We look forward to seeing you there!

 

JOIN OUR GROUP HERE

 

Votes for Life: A Bremain Campaign 2018

Votes for Life: A Bremain Campaign 2018

Jan 30, 2018 | Campaigns & Events, News

Campaigning to restore the lifelong right to vote for all UK citizens overseas

Prior to 1985, British citizens living overseas did not have the right to vote. The Representation of the People Act 1985 enabled overseas citizens to vote in the constituency where they had previously lived, but only for a period of five years. That was extended to twenty years in 1989 but reduced to fifteen years in 2000, a limit which still applies today.

It is estimated that around one million Britons living overseas have been denied the right to vote due to the fifteen year rule. 

Many other democracies allow their overseas citizens Votes for Life, something about which Bremain in Spain members feel very strongly. Many were disenfranchised during the EU referendum vote which created a significant impact and uncertainty on their daily lives in their adopted country. Many UK citizens in Europe moved abroad for many different reasons but with the understanding that they could due to Freedom of Movement. Many UK citizens overseas still pay taxes, have family and/or close connections to the UK and care deeply about the UK national interest.

Political Background

The three main political parties in the UK have differing opinions on Votes for Life, with the Labour Party maintaining silence on the subject in the 2017 election.

The Liberal Democrats 2017 manifesto declared that  it will “enable all UK citizens living abroad to vote for MPs in separate overseas constituencies and to participate in UK referendums”. 

In the 2017 General Elections, the Conservative  party manifesto included the following:

“Our democratic institutions may be ancient but should not be neglected. We will continue to modernise and improve our electoral registration process, making it as accessible as possible so that every voice counts. We will legislate for votes for life for British overseas electors.” (Conservative Party manifesto, Forward Together, May 2017, p.42).

It was also included in the 2010 and 2015 manifestos.

To date, this has not been delivered but we now have the second reading of a bill to introduce Votes for Life on Feb 23 2018 which was introduced by Glynn Davies MP.

 

See Harry Shindler MBE’s letter to all fellow Brits abroad HERE

 

Update Nov 3 2018 

We have just received a phone call from the wonderful Harry Shindler confirming he now has a date for his case to be heard at the European Court of Justice – 26th November 2018.
“Shindler vs. Council” questions the European Union decision to open Brexit negotiations when so many Brits in the EU were unfairly deprived of their right to vote in the referendum.
If successful, Brexit could be stopped! We can’t think of anyone more deserving of winning that prize than Harry!
Keeping everything crossed!

You can read more about the case here – Action for Expat Votes

 

Campaign

We have prepared a template letter for you to write or email your MP. Please remember to include the postcode or address in your previous UK constituency so that the MP can verify your eligibility to communicate with them. There are also downloadable memes which you can tweet or share on social media. Please ‘Like’ our Campaign Facebook Page to keep up with the latest news.

Harry emailed us today to send the following message to supporters of the Votes for Life campaign:

Harry Shindler MBE

Campaign Tool Kit

 

MEMES to download. See below or visit our our memes page. Select to enlarge. Right click and/or ‘Save As’ the jpg files to your device.
They are copyright free and intended for sharing!

LOTS MORE MEMES FOR SHARING
Click HERE

TEMPLATE LETTER for you to write or email your MP. Select the following LINK HERE and download the Word document which you can tailor to your own requirements. Please remember to include the postcode or address in your previous UK constituency so that the MP can verify your eligibility to communicate with them.

A simple way to email your MP is through Write to Them – Making it easy to write to the politicians who represent you – even if you don’t know who they are. You can find the website HERE – https://www.writetothem.com/

SIGN THE PETITION
Give all British citizens living abroad the right to vote and dedicated MPs
About 1 million British citizens living abroad do not have the right to vote due to their overseas residency exceeding 15 years. They therefore lack representation in Parliament. And, British Citizens living abroad for under 15 years may only vote in a constituency they no longer live in…. More details

 

SOCIAL MEDIA
Please ‘Like’ and ‘Follow’ the Votes for Life Facebook page HERE – @votesforlife2018
You can also use the hashtag #votesforlife on Twitter

The INsurgents Power 250 – New Year Honours List features Bremain

The INsurgents Power 250 – New Year Honours List features Bremain

Jan 2, 2018 | News

The INsurgents Power 250 – New Year Honours List – With a “Power Score” of 93 out of a possible 100, Bremain in Spain ended the year at number 44 in the list of the top Remain insurgents – up 8 places from the previous month.

We were particularly pleased to be given a special mention in dispatches as part of the New Year Honours List:
“There have been a number of times in 2017 where I have seen how the energy, passion and intelligent action have helped move us all forward. Highlights for me included : – the StopBrexit march in Manchester where the passion of the speakers there was both palpable and inspiring (speakers like Sue Wilson of Bremain in Spain, Bonnie Greer, the authors of In Limbo and even Alastair Campbell playing the Ode to Joy on the bagpipes!)”

You can view the full list, and read all about the INsurgents Power 250 HERE: https://www.rise.global/display/the-insurgents-power-250

The INsurgents Power 250 – A bit of fun and a bit very serious. The INsurgents Power 250 is a way of bringing together as many of the voices working to keep the UK in the EU. The idea is – by way of a leaderboard – to create a list where people can follow the most articulate, incisive, informed debate (spoiler alert: we love experts here)- as well as the best of the humour. Each week The INsurgents Power 250 recognises the most inspiring social media accounts so you can follow them, join the community and learn more. We use Klout scores to rank influencers. Klout takes into account social media activity and engagement across many social networks including Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Bremain Twitter Team – Since our new Twitter team was put together, co-ordinated by Valerie Chaplin and with new member Elspeth Williams joining, our Twitter reach has increased by leaps and bounds. In September we reached 3000 followers – by the end of 2017 we had achieved well over 5000, and numbers are still rising. Thanks to all of our Twitter team members – James Gambrill, Malcolm Perry, John Moffett and Zoe Adams Green @Bremaininspain

Braving the Weather for Bremain!

Braving the Weather for Bremain!

Dec 13, 2017 | News

I’ve just got back from another whistle-stop visit to London on Bremain in Spain business, despite the worst weather in the UK for years.

The first of my meetings, on 7th December was with Best for Britain, at their offices in Covent Garden. They are working on a number of anti-Brexit campaigns including a lobbying campaign regarding Amendment 7, which would give MPs a final, meaningful say on the Brexit deal.

 

Their latest project is the release of their own Brexit assessment reports. These reports summarise outcomes by sector, and are being issued to all MPs as we speak – they will be developed and added to over time. Another excellent ongoing project is their training programme workshops. They are running these training sessions all over the country – the objective being to teach people how to converse with, and hopefully convert Leavers. It is an ambitious campaign aimed at reaching all parts of the UK, within 75 miles of each and every constituent – giving remainers the skills and the confidence to help change public opinion. The next session, which will be filmed, will take place in Vauxhall in the constituency of Leaver Kate Hoey. We’re hoping to persuade them to extend their road trip to include Spain! It is a pleasure to work with such a passionate, well organised and focussed organisation, and if you’re not already a member, I recommend that you subscribe – https://bestforbritain.org/

 

Outside the Houses of Parliament later, I met up with Steven Bray of SODEM. Steven stands outside Parliament, all day, every day, with a small group of fellow campaigners, wearing his Stop Brexit hat and waving his EU flag. No matter the weather, he is there campaigning, and has become well known amongst MPs and Peers, many of whom often walk over the road to speak to him directly and to tell him to keep up the pressure.

One of his fellow campaigners holds up a sign saying “Toot if you want to Stop Brexit”, and it was very encouraging to hear so many lorry, taxi, bus and car drivers responding. Just standing around for a few minutes in the cold with him really brought home to me the commitment Steven shows in his unique and very special protest.

It was great to see him make the Channel 4 news last week when he was clearly seen and heard. What an amazing character!

Later that day, I visited the House of Lords for a meeting with Libdems Tom Brake MP (Shadow Brexit Minister) and Baroness Sally Hamwee (House of Lords Human Rights Committee). I had met with them both before when I attended a Libdem Round-table meeting on citizens’ rights with the 3Million. They had said last time that they were open to further meetings, and not to wait to be invited, so I took them at their word and asked for a one-to-one meeting. It was great to be able to talk exclusively about issues relating to Brits in Europe this time around, and about our continuing fight against Brexit. Our meeting took place in a House of Lords tea room, complete with waiter service, individual tea pots, and a delicious warm scone with clotted cream and jam!

Our conversation covered citizens’ rights issues, especially those that have not as yet been agreed in the negotiations. We talked about the likelihood of the talks moving on to phase 2 and whether or not the EU would agree that sufficient progress had been made. Little did we know that we were going to be proved wrong in the next 24 hours. We also discussed the importance of ring-fencing any agreements, and the lack of progress with regard to Votes for Life legislation.

Baroness Hamwee provided some very useful information with regard to the expected timescales for the passage of the Brexit Bill through the committee stage in the House of Commons, and then the anticipated progress through the House of Lords. She expects that the Bill will be with the House of Lords until after the Easter recess, in April. No doubt the Lords will have a number of amendments of their own before returning the bill to the “other place” for the “ping-pong” stage.

The Libdems are still absolutely in favour of a referendum being offered to the public on the Brexit deal, & to pointing out at every opportunity the nonsense that is Brexit. I will be keeping in regular touch with them both, and with their colleague Sir Ed Davey, who unfortunately was unable to join us on this occasion. I shall be looking forward to another meeting, and another scone!

My next visit to London was on Monday 11th December. It was touch and go as to whether the weather was going to prevent my trip, but thankfully I made it. Fellow Bremain member Elspeth Williams joined me outside Parliament, having travelled from Spain via Wales! There we joined some very cold and committed protesters for the Rally regarding a petition on an exit deal referendum. Unfortunately, due to severe weather conditions, many were unable to make it to London on the day, including the rally organisers, but those that did attend certainly made their voices (and horns and whistles!) heard. There was a lot of support from passers by, and a number of Lords came out to thank us for our efforts. Judging by the number of photos in the press the next day, accompanying Brexit news stories, there were a few journalists around too.

After 3 hours in the cold, & in need of thawing out, Elspeth and I headed off for a hot drink. By this time, the debate taking place in Westminster hall regarding the referendum had started. The debate was the focus for the rally in the first place, so we decided to see if there were any seats left in the public gallery of Westminster Hall. Luckily there were, so we were able to warm up inside whilst watching a fascinating debate for the next 2 and 1/2 hours.
We witnessed some great speeches, especially from Caroline Lucas (Greens), Geraint Davies (Labour) & Tom Brake (Libdems). The Tories, unsurprisingly, were not in favour of the pubic having any further say in the Brexit proceedings. It was also very pleasing to be able to hear the protesters outside with their chants of “Stop Brexit” and “Bollocks to Brexit”. Whilst we weren’t allowed to take any photos, we were able to tweet throughout the debate. However, it was impossible to keep up with the constant tweeting by Tom Holder, Libdem campaigner – the original petitioner in this case, who was sat in front of us & we’d met earlier at the rally.

Afterwards we had the great pleasure of shaking the hands of Geraint Davies and Caroline Lucas, and having long chats with MPs Susan Jones (Labour) & Peter Grant (SNP). Tom Brake could not stop to chat but I was pleased that he said “Hello Sue” as he walked past, as I was talking to Caroline Lucas. I had met Peter Grant before, as he is on the House of Commons EU Select Committee, which I presented to back in January. I remember him being very generous with his time back then, as he was again after the debate today – he had some interesting anecdotes about the Select Committee’s recent trip to the Irish border (which they had trouble locating!), and about the recent appearance of Davis Davis in front of the committee.

 

We asked Susan Jones, who had been responsible for opening & closing the debate what the next steps were. She said that they do not vote on the subject, only debate. However, she stressed that this was just the first of what would be many debates on the subject in coming months – more importantly, any further debates would take place in the House of Commons, so we’ll be watching out for those. This subject is clearly far from closed. If nothing else, the debate was a useful indication of where some MPs stand, who is passionate on the topic, and what the arguments are on both sides.

 

Following the debate, I started my journey back home to Spain. The tube and a train delivered me to Stansted, 10 hours before my flight at 7.00 the following morning. I had returned my hire car a day early before heading to London, so that I would not have to drive overnight in what was expected to be the coldest night yet (-10 degrees centigrade). After an uncomfortable night, hours of which was spent on a cold floor, next to what seemed to be 1 of only 2 electric sockets in the entire airport, I took off in the morning only 15 mins late and with a full charged mobile! Remind me next time I make plans to visit London not to go in the winter! Thankfully now back in Spain enjoying the sunshine, and reinvigorated for the fight!

Sue Wilson – Chair