Laurence Dollimore
INTERNATIONAL media interest is growing after the first-ever Olive Press front-page splash in Spanish.
Our story covered a petition set up by two Madrid-based British journalists demanding dual citizenship for British expats.
The petition, set up by William Chislett and Giles Tremlett, calls on the Spanish government to grant joint nationality to Britons who have lived in Spain for more than ten years.
Since last week´s Olive Press splash, the number of signatures has grown from 15,000 to 17,000 with the International Business Times and Spanish newspaper Ideal both covering the story.
“Politics, the clever strategists of Podemos say, is something you do or get done to you,” said Tremlett.
“With Brexit, it is something that has been ´done´ to many of us. This petition is a first attempt at salvaging something from the wreckage.
“Please sign, and encourage Spanish friends to do so as well.”
Anyone wishing to sign should search ‘Giles Tremlett’ on Google.
The problem is that if one changes Nationality to Spanish or any other EU Nationality, what happens if the EU does collapse. Does that mean a quick turnabout to regain British Nationality again.
One should give this a serious consideration and not go into a panic in changing as any agreements between the UK and the EU have not started yet.
As I have mention before, the UK has always had a certain amount of free movements whilst a member of the Common Market providing you had a bona fide job on offer, such as working as a farm worker, working in a hospital, working on the railway or a live in domestic. Rules appear to change as it developed into a EU by the unelected few at the top. People I knew came under those conditions.
Why this love affair with the EU? It’s an undemocratic, arrogant mess, and with its nonsensical Euro currency it is bankrupting Spain and other southern european countries. Seeking Spanish nationality in order to remain in the EU is madness.
The real madness lay in believing the lies and arrant racist nonsense that led many well-meaning people to vote against their own best interests. Interesting article in this day’s OP concerning “frozen” pensions. What many people, enjoying their life in the sun, don’t realise is the amount of jealousy and resentment felt toward them by Brits who can’t or won’t make a move. It is reflected in the lack of political representation and petty punishments, such as cancelling the WFA for expats. There have been comments on here applauding such moves. No doubt there will be much glee in some quarters, at the now, “pound for a euro” exchange rate and the prospect of many expats returning “with their tails between their legs”.
Brexit, the “jam tomorrow” canard. Today’s Guardian reports one million seven thousand migrant workers from Eastern Europe currently resident in Britain. So, no changes yet, only bad ones. Hands up those who are materially better-off since the madness?
Rubbish from you again, saying ‘arrant racist nonsense that led many well-meaning people to vote against their own best interests’ more proof you just make it up as you want!
Prove your statement & give a full list of those people you mention!
Hands up, yes my wife and I and many others are indeed materially better off since the Brexit vote mainly due to the UK stock market boom! Pretty good changes so far, and our American and other tourist friends/relatives are enjoying UK with more bang for their buck!
stepfanjo what lies are you talking about, the only ones I know of is what the “call me Dave” clan and many others of the so called experts had spread. The sudden shock of brexit and not knowing of the future is no different of not knowing the future of the EU if we remained. Forget about personal advantages one may feel about remaining in the EU no more than I do as I have lived here for well over 20 years, but think of Britain and our offsprings for the future of Britain being a self governing democratically voted country. Remember that’s what our past generations had fought for. At least eyes have been opened for many as to the dictatorship control of the elitist at the EU and the reason of brexit. Although Boris had changed his mind it was due to realizing that no change could be made under the conditions that Cameron fought hard to achieve hence Boris change of attitude. But due to brexit changes may now occur in the EU. Do you also feel that the cronies of Cameron are more entitled to a peerage who have done nothing for Britain whereas Farage has changed the course of British history forever. Personally I think he is entitled for a peerage at least.
Everyone expects answers within a couple of months of the brexit vote when we have two years of negotiations once article 50 has been enacted. Lets just wait and see the final outcome.
P.S May I quote one of you famous lines. “Those with no votes are just blowing in the wind” I’m afraid that includes you, me and everyone that makes comments on this forum.
Change of name, but same old babble.
Mike, I don’t think the people who are trying to get dual nationality are exactly in love with the EU. I would imagine they have a lot at stake, self preservation has kicked in and they are trying to keep their options open in the event of worst case scenario.
Brexit is taking everyone into the unknown and you cannot assume that common sense will prevail and that Spain (or any other EU member states) will play ball. Will Spain cut off its nose to spite its face? Possibly. There is no guarantee that the negotiations will go the way you want them to and many of the older Brits could lose their free healthcare if it goes badly meaning they will not be able to stay in Spain.
The EU has to reform for the simple reason it cannot continue in its current form – I think most people would agree with that. It would have been better to wait until there has been a radical shake up in Brussels (which there will be), the French and German general elections have been held and then hold a referendum if that is what the public demand.
This is only my opinion but I think the UK is heading for ‘Brexit-lite’ because anything else will just be far too complicated and far too contentious.
I am also Mike and for clarity I happen to agree with Mike above.
Jane, I don’t agree with your gloom since the Brexit vote, certainly not in the UK’s interests. Since the vote many doom mongers have seen that things aren’t as bad yet as they said they’d be. Retail sales up, Industrial output growing at fastest rate since 1999, stock market has experienced a boom of sorts, unemployment falling still and there’s even some benefits for the exchange rate with UK exports.
Staying in the corrupt EU was keeping the UK into more unknown.
The EU will either have to reform or may face break-up with referendums elsewhere, already we hear Germany is preparing to make concessions to the UK, this should also help other EU countries get better terms!
Mike, you are confusing gloom with pragmatism but for the sake of the people who will be affected, let’s hope you are right. Until there are cast iron guarantees in place, it is all speculation but it would be unwise to twist everything to make it fit and assume that everything will go your way because you voted for Brexit.
Don’t underestimate the magnitude of Brexit or the extent of bad feeling towards the UK. It would have been far more sensible to sit tight and wait for the current EU model to collapse and subsequently reform with all the member states on a level playing field rather than the UK pulling the trigger and becoming a scapegoat.
Nothing is being twisted, you’ve made that up, no-one knows what will happen but whatever it is it should turn out better than having stayed in a corrupt EU! As for waiting for the ‘current EU model to collapse and subsequently reform’ well that is whistling in the wind. When did you expect that to happen, another 41 yrs?
UK will not become a scapegoat, again the rhetoric is wrong, more likely to lead other countries by its actions! It is unlikely anyone can change what has happened to suit their own requirements.
I see the thought of a referendum is now spreading not only in the EU but the USA also. Texas and California have praised the British people for deciding to leave the EU and are now talking on the same lines regarding their government. I suppose Cameron inadvertently had a role to play in this by capitulating to Farage and of the rise of UKIP. Time will tell.
Churchill’s famous line. “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” I suppose those words could be associated once again to Britain regarding the EU. Just a thought.,
Not quite sure what World Mr Junker lives in when he stated in his speech at the EU parliament that immigration was not the cause of Brexit. Sorry, but it was the main cause of Brexit and the only way to control the flux of immigration into the UK was to have a referendum to leave the EU and take control of our own borders. Naturally this entailed other important issues, such as freedom, democracy, self rule, etc, etc. Let’s face it, those that wish to remain in the EU are strictly for personal reasons and not for the well being of Britain in the long run. I wonder how many expats who class themselves as residents have actually completed Modelo 720 which is law.. Most no doubt have not, including pensioners thinking they do not have to become part of the Spanish tax system, whereas all pensions received come under the Spanish tax system, but the tide is changing.
List too long.