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| Brandon Lewis Photo: Sky News |
This morning we have written to HMA in Madrid, Hugh Elliott, complaining about the callous comments of Brandon Lewis related to the deportation of EU citizens which have been widely reported in the international press. Apart from the terrible effect on hundreds of thousands of anxious EU citizens in the UK, such declarations have a direct and negative impact on the situation of the 1.3 million Britons in the EU. Our precarious situation in the event of a no-deal Brexit is totally dependent on reciprocity from the UK in terms of treatment of citizens.
This is not the first time that government ministers have aggravated our position. A few weeks ago, Home Office Priti Patel announced the immediate end of freedom of movement on 31 October. A few days ago, health minister Matt Hancock said that S1 healthcare coverage for UKinEU would only be extended for a further six months. In Spain, this was later clarified (see NHS website).
Ministers currently seem to be addressing an audience of hardline Brexiters in a pre-election campaign, which merely stokes the growing distrust towards Britain amongst EU-27 governments. Maybe they are unaware of the repercussions of their words on their beleaguered compatriots in the European Union. Or perhaps they just don't care since most of us have been disenfranchised.
Dear Ambassador,
We read with dismay the comments attributed to the Minister of State for Security, Brandon Lewis, in his interview with Die Welt, about the possible deportation of EU citizens in the UK if they fail to apply for settled status before the end of next year.
As
you know, the Spanish Government has made it clear that it will expect
reciprocal arrangements to apply for the citizens' rights provisions of
the Royal Decree, covering a “No Deal Brexit”, to come into play. Thus
Mr Lewis’s comments will only serve to heighten suspicions that the UK
will not fully honour reciprocity, with the possibility that the terms
of the Royal Decree may be compromised to our significant disadvantage.
The comments from Mr Lewis come on the heels of recent declarations by
Home Secretary Priti Patel about the immediate end of freedom of
movement on 31 October, which caused similar alarm amongst EU citizens
in the UK and Britons in the EU.
We
would be very grateful if you could raise this concern to the Prime
Minister, given Mr Lewis appears to have spoken as a Government
minister. At the very least it suggests that we UK and EU citizens are
merely pawns in a bigger game - contrary to official claims. We would
also ask you please to intervene with Spanish Government to assuage the
concerns they will feel as they digest Mr Lewis’s words.
Yours sincerely,
