On Feb 10th Bremain in Spain and Best for Britain held their first joint event in Elche, near Alicante. Nearly fifty Bremainers joined our Chair Sue Wilson, Best for Britain’s Kyle Taylor and members of Bremain council. We were delighted that Debbie Williams from Brexpats – Hear our Voice was able to attend. Many Bremainers were meeting for the first time, despite working together for many months.

Refreshments were served in the garden of the hotel before Sue welcomed everyone and Kyle started the workshop – How to fight Brexit – Practical Campaign Training. There were group exercises, meaningful discussion and a real sense of determination to fight to stop Brexit.

Following the workshop we had a question and answer session where we were able to update members that Bremain in Spain is now a registered association. Kyle also offered practical advice to those who wanted further clarity. Debbie updated everyone on the court case which has just been referred to the ECJ. Their argument is basically ‘Once an EU citizen, Always an EU citizen’ and they hope that the case will be expedited within the next two months.

Lunch was served after the workshop and many commented on how reinvigorated they felt to fight to stop Brexit. Similar style workshops will be rolled out throughout Bremain regional groups in the coming months.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and many commented on their renewed invigoration to fight Brexit. Debbie Williams sums up her feelings about the training session as follows: “Since the enlightening event organised by Bremain in Spain, I am now calmer and more confident in my dealings with Brexit-related discussions, I feel empowered and have actually also realised that I (along with all the other delegates, I’m sure) know far more about the politics of Brexit than most politicians. Thank you for organising the event and inviting me. Bravo! – to all concerned.”

Bremain member Alison Curtis adds: “It was truly worth the 5-hour drive each way, and we gained enormously: Good strategies, insight, motivation, ideas and above all enjoyment from being with such nice and like-minded folk. Thanks to Kyle for his experience and presentation, and the Bremain Council for the excellent organising”. Below are a selection of photos from the day.

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

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:

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!

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/

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

Monday, December 11 at 10 AM
Parliament Square

Government gave us quite a thoughtless, hostile NO on this petition previously, and now it’s tabled for debate.

We’ll be there with our flags, banners and fighting spirit to ensure the House is aware of how passionately we STILL feel about this, and we are not going away!

Hold a Referendum on the Final Brexit Deal

We, the undersigned, call upon HM Government to give the people of this country the final say on the Brexit deal negotiated by the UK and EU.

For those that haven’t don’t so already, it is still important that the petition be signed.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/200004

Photo Gallery

Click to enlarge and move through the gallery

More Live Video

BRITISH IN EUROPE: UPDATE ART 50 NEGOTIATIONS – ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN

6 October 2017

Overview

• British in Europe (BiE) is running a high level advocacy campaign to safeguard citizens’ rights across the EU 27 and UK, much of which work is done jointly with the3million, the largest EU citizens’ group in the UK.
• Meetings EU level: Since March, regular meetings at EU level with Michel Barnier’s Article 50 task force, the lead negotiator for the EU Council, MEPs at the European Parliament including key members of the Brexit Steering Group such as its leader, Guy Verhofstadt. BiE is de-briefed by the Art 50 task force by phone/in person directly after each round of negotiations.
• Meetings at UK level: Since April, BiE has had regular meetings with DExEU, Home Office and FCO, in recent weeks on a two-weekly basis, and receives a de-brief directly after each round has finished (and a briefing prior to the start of the recent rounds). In addition, regular meetings with Embassies across the EU 27, including in Luxembourg, Italy, Germany, France, the Netherlands and Spain.
• Papers/Responses: In addition to preparing position papers, after each round, BiE together with the3million prepares a response which is sent out to all of its contacts mentioned above at EU and UK level.  These can be found on the BiE website.  In addition to specific responses, BiE prepared a paper on free movement rights in August and case studies to back this up.

Snapshot of Other Lobbying Action: examples of most recent action in September:

• Mass lobby of UK Parliament on 13 September with the3million and Westminster Hall debate on UK citizens’ rights on 12 September (Labour Party organised)
• Letter to PM on 20 September 2017 calling on the UK government to show flexibility on lifelong rights of return for EU citizens in the UK to break deadlock on free movement for UK citizens
• Meetings in Brussels wc 25 September with key MEPs prior to European Parliament resolution (vote 3 October) on citizens’ rights in the negotiations, including EP President Tajani, and lead representatives of the Socialist, Green and left wing groups for the Brexit Steering Group in the EP.

Current position

• Three rounds of substantive negotiations to date: round 2 (July), round 3 (August) and most recent round 4 (wc 25 September)
• European Parliament resolution on citizens’ rights (3 October)
• Personal scope: EU citizens lawfully resident before exit (EU position) and frontier workers (wide definition we are currently analysing)
• Permanent residence: EU position is that this would be confirmed in the country of residence but UK has not changed its position on settled status – EU citizens would have to apply for a new, lesser status rather than simply having their existing rights confirmed.
• Family members: Both sides now appear to agree (subject to final clarification) that family members would be covered for life by the WA even if become independent. In other words, would not lose cover of WA if change status e.g. child/young person no longer dependent because start to work.
• Family reunification: EU would confirm current rights under EU law but UK wants future family members (other than children) to fall under UK immigration law rules that apply to non-EU nationals or whatever system put in place for EU citizens in future. This also affects UK citizens returning from the EU to the UK with their family members.
• Free movement: EU position is that rights protected in country of residence but no “onward” rights of free movement.
• Loss of permanent residence: EU position is that would be lost after two years as per current EU law. UK has now made an offer of lifelong rights to return to EU citizens in an effort to break the deadlock on free movement following our letter to the PM on 20 September 2017.
• Withdrawal Agreement/Direct effect: EU position is that rights would be set out in detail in the WA, have force of international law and direct effect  UK has made an offer on direct effect in response.
• CJEU/other supranational jurisdiction: Still under discussion.
• Continuation of current reciprocal healthcare/social security arrangements including the S1 scheme and aggregation, export and uprating of pensions. Only outstanding issue is export of other social security benefits.
• Professional qualifications. Still being discussed but current EU position is that those who have an individual recognition decision of their qualifications would continue to have those recognised in the issuing state but not across the EU 27.  Those providing services under their home title would not be covered by the WA.
• Economic rights. Still under discussion.  Agreed that individuals should keep all their rights e.g. self-employment, right to run a business.  EU position is to guarantee this in the country of residence but not EU-wide.
• Voting rights. EU position not covered by WA – up to Member States whether they grant these to third country nationals.
• Ring-fencing. This argument continues to be pushed through advocacy at EU and UK level.  There is gradually more support in the European Parliament and the left wing GUE/NGL group tried to table an amendment to the European Parliament petition on 3 October.

Download the full document HERE