UK moves to reassure expats
Costa campaigner labels government response ‘a load of nonsense’
Government has tried to quell fears raised in the Commons
THE BRITISH government has tried to quell fears raised by Sir Roger Gale MP over the fact that there is no reference to Britons living in Spain and other EU countries in Boris Johnson’s European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill.
Sir Roger had told the House of Commons that when reading the Bill he had ‘found reference to European Union citizens living in the United Kingdom and to Swiss nationals but, scour as I could, I found not one word of comfort for United Kingdom citizens living abroad in Europe’.
However, a spokesman for the UK’s department for exiting the European Union told Costa Blanca News on Monday that while the withdrawal agreement covers both EU citizens and in the UK and Britons living in EU countries, Britain can only legislate for EU nationals living in the UK. He said this is why Britons in Spain are not mentioned in the UK’s Bill, even though their rights form part of the agreement which was given the green light in Brussels last month.
He explained that it would be down to each individual European country to enshrine the rights of British residents in their own legislation.
“We cannot legislate for Spain,” he stated. “Just as they cannot protect their own citizens living in London.”
He added that the Spanish government ‘has been very clear that they will protect UK nationals living in Spain’.
He reminded that Pedro Sánchez’s government has already published a Royal Decree which provides for ‘good protection’ for Britons living in the country.
However, Costa Blanca campaigner David Burrage disputed the government claim and said their response was ‘a load of nonsense’.
“The protection of rights in the circumstances under discussion is a two way exchange and in any event in finality it is for the British government to fund our healthcare and not Spain and they have no legal obligation to do so,” he stated.
Withdrawal Bill
The Withdrawal Agreement Bill is designed to turn the withdrawal agreement, which is a draft international treaty, into UK law.
British residents in Spain had raised concerns over the legislation when they read Sir Roger Gale’s comments.
Chair of the House of Lords EU justice subcommittee, Lord Morris of Aberavon, also questioned whether the government had offered more to EU citizens resident in the UK than it had done to the 1.3 million UK citizens living in the EU.
He noted that some of the government’s actions may be ‘actively counter-productive’ in terms of ensuring the security of healthcare, welfare benefits and pension entitlements of its own citizens abroad.
The House of Lords EU justice subcommittee is demanding that Boris Johnson agrees to a list of assurances to prevent British citizens living in the EU suffering what it says are significant healthcare and pensions difficulties after Brexit.
Michael Gove’s response
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove was tasked by PM Boris Johnson with responding to Sir Roger’s concerns.
However, he caused further worry for Britons in Spain in a letter sent to the MP for North Thanet on October 28.
Mr Burrage labelled Mr Gove’s missive ‘extremely disturbing’.
Mr Gove had told Sir
Roger: “I share your concern that we must strive to protect our nationals, particularly elderly pensioners who have chosen to retire in EU Member States.
“The specific issues you raise regarding the uprating of the UK state pension and reciprocal healthcare for UK nationals living in the EU are complex and warrant a detailed discussion.”
Responding to this, Mr Burrage stated: “Mr Gove’s letter has all the hallmarks of a renege of the many promises of continuing to upgrade our old-age pensions for at least three years and continued state healthcare.”
Mr Gove met Sir Roger last Thursday to discuss the points he had raised.
Commenting on the meeting, Sir Roger said he had ‘set out the stall’, backed up with information sent by Britons living in Europe.
He had ‘stressed the point that what is needed is full clarification, where previously there has been confusion’.
He is awaiting a letter from the PM to provide this.
Bill on hold
The Withdrawal Agreement Bill is currently in limbo after MPs rejected Mr Johnson’s plan to get it through the House of Commons in three days at the end of October.
MPs backed the bill – but voted against the timetable.
As a result Mr Johnson told the Commons he would ‘pause’ the legislation.