First meeting since January 31st 2020

First meeting since January 31st 2020 - the night candles were lit and this image made us cry.

It's the witching hour in chill February. That time not quite night or day when memories and new thoughts collide. Our first meeting since January 31st is eddying in vivid picture pools. I realise that our discussion cannot be trapped by the neat and tidy tricks of punctuation - there is more than words at play. Our faces display weariness. The tone and pace of our speech convey frustration, futility even, but there are also sparks of positivity. 

We have been warriors of late, battling for a common goal, buoyed by urgency and triumphant in noteworthy skirmishes. Till the last we were held together and our actions orchestrated to match those of others, combatants in the same campaign. Now, the battle lost, we see, like so many others, a lack of leadership. We hear confused voices struggling for power, endeavouring to maintain the fervour of the past. But where to focus this fervour? The beast we now confront is Hydra-like, its horrors operating at many levels and it is easy for us to feel powerless. 



So where did the discussion take us?



We talked about the need to work with young people as the voters of the future and this might be possible through some established connections at the college. Signposting the link between tackling Climate Change and the role of the EU might be a way to foster interest.


We want to foreground the Erasmus programme and its opaque position after the vote on Wednesday. An action might be to fund raise for inter-rail tickets to go to young people.


We want to find out more about Birmingham for Europe's plan to support EU-27 citizens with the Settled Status application process. Would that be something appropriate and needed in the Lichfield area? We also want to act as a place of contact for local EU citizens who may be facing difficult times.


We see a need to try to influence the structure of the EM to which we are affiliated and encourage inspirational leadership.


We want to act as 'watchers' who ensure that the impact of Brexit, both locally and nationally is given attention through local press, Facebook and contributions to our Blog. 


We want to explore a project to look at connections which might be established with the twinned towns of Limburg-an-der Lahn in Germany and with Sainte-Foy-les-Lyon in France.


Having a presence at the Lichfield festival or using Speakers Corner to promote the message that 'Lichfield is open' was also discussed.



And so monster slayers, this is a long term battle. We each need to consider where our energies may best be focussed and to which of these 'projects'(or others) we want to contribute or take a lead. Our WhatsApp group is still 'live', our Facebook membership is growing, our Blog is established and we have a monthly forum for discussion based at 55 Wade Street.

Will you join us???????????????????????????????????????????????????

Brexit & The Value of a Human Soul         by Pandora

Years from now when the history of Brexit is written and future generations look back on these turbulent times, it will undoubtedly be the small personal stories that will continue to resonate.

Academics, historians and commentators will of course debate the socio-economic and political conditions that led to our collective madness. Pages will no doubt be written on the big players and their place in history, but, like so many seismic events before it  it will be the experiences of the  ordinary folk which will shine the brightest and most unforgiving light on a nation that lost its soul and its compassion. Stories of people trying to live their lives and make a home.

Leaving the European Union means a roll back of rights for all of us. However, for 3 million citizens from 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway & Switzerland, Brexit means having to ask our Government for permission to stay in the UK. Many of these people have been here for decades, are married to UK nationals and have British born children.

Just pause for a second and let that sink in. People who came to the UK in good faith, who have chosen to settle here, to work here; who pay tax here and have raised families here are having to seek permission to stay in their own lives. If they fail to do so or it is not granted, they will lose access to vital rights and services and may be deported. Yes, that means separated from their families and ‘sent back ‘to countries they may have left decades before. Someone will match up the requisite bits of paper and decide if they should be allowed to stay.

There is a myriad of data which shows us that these people make a huge contribution both economic and cultural to the UK, and without them our vital services and economy will suffer. Even were this not the case how do you judge the value of a human soul?

My friend Janice has an elderly mother who was born in France, has a British husband (my friends’ father) and has lived I and worked in the UK for 40 years. She must apply now to stay here with her family.

On the flip side in excess of 1.2 million British Citizens have made their homes in other EU members states. They too now have friends and families there, have built lives there and are also facing huge changes to their rights.  Some of these are retirees who have their UK pensions paid to them overseas, however It is one of many Brexit myths that they make up the bulk of British in Europe. DWP figures suggest that it is actually no more than 20%.  The rest are of working age, and many are liable to pay tax in both their country of residence and the UK.

These people are now waiting to see how they will be treated by their host countries as we withdraw from the EU. The UK Government in its treatment of EU citizens in the UK, is not giving out promising signals in terms of a compassionate reciprocal model. 

I have a good friend Katie who has a 14-year-old son. They live in Spain and have done since he was 6. Before Brexit her son had the same rights as his classmates. Now as it stands, he has no automatic access to a university place either in the UK (due to residency requirements) or Spain (as he is not a Spanish citizen).  All he can do is apply as an overseas student and be financially penalised …

There are thousands of small human stories. Some highlight the insensitive bureaucracy of the situation, some will break your heart.

Here in the UK this ‘othering‘ of EU citizens, and indeed any immigrant who chooses to make their home here frightens and upsets me. It is the start of a dark and dangerous path.
Did you vote for this? Did you believe the lies?  it seems plenty did and are more than happy to shout about it.

For my part I pledge to continue to welcome all those who wish to make a life in the UK and to fight for the rights of my fellow citizens all over the world, but particularly those in the EU affected by Brexit. 

I believe that it is history that will judge us.


Sources

https://www.gov.uk/tax-uk-income-live-abroad/uk-resident

https://britishineurope.org/facts-and-figures/

https://www.the3million.org.uk

https://ec.europa.eu/unitedkingdom/index_en.html

https://www.inlimboproject.org