View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Politics
11 October 2017

For EU citizens, every day since Brexit is Groundhog Day

Wake up, hope for progress in Brexit talks, see the British government refusing to guarantee your rights, go to sleep, repeat.

By Pauline Bock

Every morning, like many Brits, I listen to Radio 4 at breakfast. Except I’m not a Brit. Which means that since 23 June 2016, every morning, I am waiting for the news that I will be allowed to stay in the UK after Brexit.

In the year and almost a half since the UK voted to leave the European Union, no radio bulletin has brought that news. That’s because in the year and almost a half since the UK voted to leave the European Union, the UK government has been unable to guarantee the basic rights of EU citizens living here.

Two weeks ago, Theresa May told EU citizens during her Florence speech: “We want you to stay; we value you; and we thank you for your contribution to our national life – and it has been, and remains, one of my first goals in this negotiation to ensure that you can carry on living your lives as before.”

A week ago, at Conservative conference, she said: “If you are a citizen of the EU who has made their life in this country, I know you will feel unsettled and nervous. But let me be clear that we value the contribution you make to the life of our country. You are welcome here. And I urge the negotiating teams to reach agreement on this quickly because we want you to stay.”

Yet no real breakthrough has been made toward guaranteeing EU citizens’ rights in the UK after Brexit (and incidentally, those of UK citizens in the EU). The EU has repeatedly warned that sufficient progress hasn’t been met in Brexit talks. A significant change could be months away. The possibility of no deal is still on the cards.

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

In her LBC interview yesterday, Theresa May refused to guarantee right to remain for EU citizens in the UK in a no-deal scenario. It is out of her control, she said, adding that “EU members states would have to consider what their approach would be to the UK citizens”. And we found ourselves back to being bargaining chips.

I cannot stress this enough: three million people living in this country have received no guarantee from the British government that their life won’t turn upside down overnight. In 16 months. 63 weeks. 474 days.

That’s turning the radio on 474 times to listen to the same interview with a politician hoping for “the best possible deal” without any real idea of what the deal will be. That’s your friends, partner, co-workers, relatives back home, asking you what will your situation be after Brexit, to which you can only reply “no idea yet”, for 474 days. That may be your child asking if they will have to leave their school and friends; or your landlord being reluctant to renew your lease; or your boss wondering if they will have to terminate your contract. The questions never end and it never leaves you.

You too would feel “unsettled and nervous” if it had been a year and a half that you’ve lived in a country in which you no longer know if you have a future. You too, whatever the cost, the hassle and the laborious administrative steps, would consider or actively plan to leave a country that is refusing you a future.

Every European I talk to does. I know I do.

If you’re an EU citizen with a story to tell, you can email me at Pauline.Bock[at]newstatesman.co.uk, or fill in the form below. 

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU