Joe Duggan (Reporter)
OVER a million British expats could lose the right to live in the EU following the Brexit referendum result, Theresa May has warned.
Three million EU citizens living in the UK may also lose their right to residence, the favourite to succeed David Cameron as Conservative Party leader said.
May also refused to confirm whether EU nationals could be deported after Britain leaves the EU.
“At the moment we are still a member of the EU and the arrangements still continue, so there is no change to their position currently,” said May.
“But, of course, as part of the negotiations we will need to look at this question of people who are here in the UK from the EU.
“I want to ensure that we are able to not just guarantee a position for those people, but guarantee a position for British citizens who are over in other member states, in other countries in Europe, and living there.
“What’s important is there will be a negotiation here as to how we deal with that issue of people who are already here and who have established a life here and Brits who have established a life in other countries within the European Union.
She added: “The position at the moment is as it has been, there’s no change at the moment, but of course we have to factor that into negotiations.”
I suspect she is lying as she does not want a rush of people to the uk before article 50 is invoked
Should we just lean back and hope the British Ambassador Simon Manley wasn’t overstating the case ‘no worries, it’ll be fine: for at least two years’, he said. Remember the Govt dropping us from the winter-fuel allowance? They’ll take care of us – or will they? It’s time to get angry and start finding a solution for the million (or two million) Britons living in the EU – unless London *really* wants us all to come home.
Let us hope article 50 goes to a vote, and is defeated, and the whole thing is buried.
Perhaps they should start building all those new hospitals and houses now – and also residential care homes as not all of us have families in the UK to look after us. If we are forced to return, many of us will be returning with very little or NOTHING, and we certainly won’t have houses to sell to pay for our care during our final years!
When will people stop listening to this woman’s drivel?? She is an absolute nut job!! How many Norweigens live in Spain and the EU?? Millions and Norway was never in the EU! You would get more sense out of a crackhead than you would out of Theresa May!!
Agreed, this has seriously damaged her credibility. Using expats as pawns in a Brexit game is disgusting.
Norway is part of the single market and therefore has free movement of people. The Brexiteers do not want the Norway arrangement so it is irrelevant and we are likely to end up with something far more restrictive than that.
Christopher Hammond said yesterday in a BBC interview that the UK will have to accept a substantially less favourable model for EU single market access. This could mean tarrifs, and that sadly spells the end of many small European traders in the UK. Lots of negative signals of Brexit damaging the economy are now coming to light, and yet the exit has not even happened yet.
Try listening to what was said then stop adding 2 + 2 and arriving at 5!
I agree with your sentiment…..people are now making assumptions on scanty information.
Everything has to be negotiated in the exit talks which only begin when Article 50 is activated.
In April 2016 over €1billion was pumped into the Spanish economy by the British alone, tourists and British immigrants to Spain.
Hey guys: your country basically told the EU they were worthless by the millions. You’re going to have face reality: you’re going to get deported and have to go home. Pay attention to what the EU politicians are telling you: you didn’t care until it actually directly affected you. This woman is telling you you need to prepare now, or lose everything by being further arrogant and stubborn. You should listen this time, before it’s too late
Plyacy, take your trolling elsewhere. Imagine Spain deporting hundreds of thousands of people, and vice versa in the UK. Never going to happen…
Quite Fred, but it doesn’t stop unhappy people who are jealous of the expat lifestyle in Spain (or have some other axe to grind) from wishful thinking.
Surprised that the Olive Press would publish that comment to be honest.
She is simply setting the stage. Clearly there has to be negotiation between the countries relating to the people living in their countries who are not nationals by birth. She cannot say that everyone EU person can stay in the UK without extracting similar guarantees from the other 27 member states relating to UK nationals living in EU countries. For those of us living in Spain and other EU countries, she is trying to safeguard our right to live in the EU where we have established our homes. If she gave the guarantee about EUs living in UK now, then she has nothing with which to negotiate our rights of residence in EU countries. That is always, of course, assuming that Brexit happens.
Julie, Brexit will happen if the conservatives wish to win again in 2020.
Julie, absolutely correct, but Brexit will happen and under our terms. Freedom of people will be achieved providing they have a job to come to and have contributed over so many years towards the benefit system and the NHS.
Pity the remainder crowd didn’t mention the 1.3 billion that the EU is required now, or the 27 yearly billion that is requested starting in 2017 of a 235 billion black hole by 2020, or other bankrupt states wishing to join, or Turkey about to join, or an EU army which would include the British army all controlled from Brussels. Germany has already said they will not pay Britain’s share if the UK pulls out. There are so many other items that had been held back prior to the referendum. As for the 350 million saving per week 100 millions of that amount was for NHS, the rest to other causes which the scaremongers played on the fact that 350 M would be for the NHS.
“Turkey about to join”. Got a date?
Fred. Don’t need a date and makes no difference if and when Turkey joins as the UK will not be part of the EU. Besides the EU may be broken up well before that happens. You must get over the fact that the UK will be leaving the EU and it’s just a matter of agreements that will suit the British Government, if not the UK will continue to trade elsewhere.
But what does surprise me is the fact that the “remainders” blame the UK and not the EU so could they explain why there was a referendum and the vote was to “leave”. Changes will be made to suit trading and various conditions for Britain but at least Britain will not be part of the EU laws. Fred, it’s called “democracy”.
Mansel, you said “…or Turkey about to join”, so I merely asked you for the date, which of course you don’t have, and so the “about to join” timeline was just more hyperbole and scaremongering, like it was used in the Brexit campaign.
The UK does not have a forcefield around it. You cannot stop asylum seekers (international law, not EU law) and likewise the UK cannot stop illegal immigration (nothing to do with the EU as the UK was never in Schengen). Now that the UK may likely leave the EU it means that they cannot veto Turkey joining, so that actually means Turkey has more chance of joining the EU in the future, and that means more immigrants will attempt to come to the UK, via Europe. The next French prime minister will also move the “jungle” to Dover from Calais, and immigrants will just keep coming to UK shores, as they have always done. What happens in Europe is iof critical importance to the UK. There is no “drawbridge” and we actually need to work with Europe to stop migration problems. The UK needs European workers and plans are underway to allow EU immigrants and their families to stay. A points system may cone into force in the future, but the UK needs access to the single market and may still have to concede to some demands fom the EU.
Yes, there was a referendum, but sadly it is not the panacea you think it will be, and as stated, it does not halt all immigration overnight. As mentioned many times, it is parliament that needs to take the UK out of Europe, and it is parliament where democratically elected MPs make such decisions.
Scaremongering again!!
BUT Norway is part of the European Economic Area which England (not Great Britain) does not want to be part of because it not only guarantees free movement of goods but guarantees free movement of EAA citizens in all the EU Zone !!
What an utter disaster this is turning out to be in less than 2 weeks. If Brexit is destroying the lives of individuals in this way, just imagine the horrors that businesses are unearthing.
There are things coming to light that nobody even thought of, for example, what about no – EU citizens having higher tax rates and stricter residency criteria? A lot of people who are resident in Spain now may not be able to renew and what about people in the UK who want to retire to Spain in the future?
There needs to be a vigorous ‘ditch Brexit’ campaign, this is not working for anyone.
Exactly. If May wins it might be possible to manuever some kind of annulment. MPs would be mad to ratify article 50. If they do, that would likely ‘clean out the barn.’ So, maybe there will be a renewal of UK politics as well as EU policy.
As non-EU I just got my first residency renewal, this one for 2 years. In another 2 years, I get the last before going up to the next level. Its easier than getting UK residency.
Irritating process because it is handled different in different admin regions. But doable. Likely the worst will be getting the required Spanish driving permit.
Jane G. Every country have various laws that individuals can find fault with. The answer to this is to live in a country suitable to your needs, if not nobody has a chain around their neck. Stop thinking of Me, Me, ME all the time.
True Paula, but Norway is a member of the EEA which allows free movement etc. There is no guarantee that UK will sign up to this, as it means many EU constraints but no say or vote on them. If UK stays out of the EEA then things may change?
I would image that the inner workings of her mind are somewhat sinister, probably envisioning the population returning to some type of 1800’s slavery under her dictatorship.
It wasn’t long ago that she was banging on about removing everyone’s human rights….Of course that has all been forgotten about, unless she is ever successful in her plight and then it will suddenly be remembered again.
Perhaps she would be better of trying to lead a pack of cubs, scouts or girl guides, someone impressionable that she can boss about that might actually listen to her nonsense, I for one won’t be.
She does have some peculiar ideas this woman.
The economic weight of the British residents for Spain is too big to fail. Don’t worry for article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty but be afraid of article 42! Imagine the Brexit has been completed and Theresa May is the new British Prime Minister. If she decides to start a kind of ‘Falkland War’ at Gibraltar, then by article 42 (7) of the EU Treaty all 26 members of the EU are committed to support Spain, also by military actions. The obligation for mutual aid by article 42 is stronger than the mutual defense commitment of the NATO treaty.
As long as the UK is a member of the EU, the EU will and has always acted as a good broker, be it in Gibraltar or Northern Ireland. Many of you will remember those days where the border between Gibraltar and Spain smelled like the GDR border. Thanks to EU mediation the situation at La Linea has calmed down to normal processing during the past few years. Even though 96% of Gibraltarians had voted for ‘Remain’, in case of a Brexit they will suffer most.
Brexitears. Let’s look for protection from Brussels – the Brits won’t help. They consider the ex-pats as un-persons and almost traitors. When they think of us at all.
This is all completely factually incorrect. It is closer to a billion British expats who will lose their rights to live in the EU.
Sure? Please explain Peter.
Fred, broaden your horizon, perhaps Peter was taking a leaf from Farage. For starters there is the possibility of 50 odd million British in the UK not forgetting those millions that are also British scattered World wide and not forgetting the millions of aliens that are holding British passports. All these are entitled to reside in the EU.
Mansel, you don’t even know if people will lose their rights to live in Spain. I have relatives who lived and owned property in Spain when Franco was still in power. Wise up.
Ah, Franco, the man who would sell his soul for American dollars. Fred, perhap you forgot to mention that sterling needed to convert to dollars to purchase property in Spain and then you could live in Spain. This is man who opened the flood gate for thousands of expats to spoil Spain, (a bit like Blair really). But one thing you are correct is I don’t know of the outcome between the UK and the EU regarding the negotiations, nor do you, but one thing I’m “certain” of is that the UK will no longer be under the control of the EU or it’s laws.
They say it will take months if not years to scrape all the laws introduced by the EU and even Merkel has insisted that the commission led by that nutcase Juncker would not be involved in the negotiations with the UK. So basically Freddie boy what I’m saying is, stop living in denial and, “wise up”.
Fred. No need to set a date for Turkey to join the EU as the UK would not care less as Britain will not be a part of the EU. Besides by then perhaps the EU will not exist. You must accept the fact that the UK will not be part of Juncker’s EU.
Ah Mansel, so finally we see that you are an expat hater. Expats did not spoil Spain. Corruption and inefficiency and poor education ultimately spoiled Spain. Btw I sense that we have conversed before but you post under a different alias (again). My point about Franco is that living in Spain and having rights in Spain are two totally different things. You talk about the EU as if we were not even party to any of its decision making processs in the past. That is totally incorrect and shows your total ignorance.
Fred, don’t take the bait, it’s a frequent flyer.
Aw, I was having fun with this numskull.
A wonderful thread, full of paranoia,b/s, downright lies and ‘what if’s’. I particularly like the ‘billion Brits’ bit. How it works out for Britain depends on having politicians who are’nt frightened of their own shadows and know the real strength of their hand.
The corporate controlled cabal in Brussels will now start to roll out all the bad news they deliberately kept under wraps until after the Ref.
The Euro strength will now start to hurt exports, the €1.2 trillion bad loans held by Italian banks – just check their share prices, most near zero. I listened to a shifty eyed French finance minister talking about naughty Spain breaking the rules – it was a joke. We have rules but they are bendable – when it suits Brussels. Youth unemployment across the EU – average 50% and still they bend over to their corporate masters interests and the flow from the East continues.
You can believe the propaganda articles about rising support for the EU – if you are a fool or do as I do and talk to the ordinary French who have had enough, like my Dutch and German friends. Arrogance and contempt for ordinary people always ends the same way. How long before a new Danton appears – citizens to arms, vamos a ver.