Tory post-Brexit residence scheme for EU citizens shows they’ve learned NOTHING from Windrush
The Empire Windrush brought many people to the UK to help rebuild the country after World War II. If it was still in service, the Tories would be trying to use it to deport EU citizens.
Those racists in the Conservative government think we all have really short memories, don’t they?
Their colleagues and cronies at the Home Office have unveiled a new “EU Settlement Scheme” for citizens of the European Union who want to continue living and/or working in the UK after Brexit – and it looks startlingly – shockingly – Windrushy. I hope you understand what I mean by that.
Applicants under the scheme will have to provide proof of their own identity, proof that they live in the UK, and proof that they do not have a criminal record.
And it will cost them up to £65 to provide this information to a government that should have it all already.
Perhaps the Home Office destroyed it, along with the documents that would have saved thousands of the Windrush generation from deportation.
Here’s the Home Office’s tweet on the subject:
EU citizens and their families will need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 31 December 2020.
Find out more: https://t.co/S5UB9n8iFU #Brexit pic.twitter.com/HdqySqRk8M
— Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) December 27, 2018
It seems clear these Tory racists have learned nothing from the Windrush scandal.
They see Brexit as an opportunity to humiliate Johnny (and Jane) Foreigner – make them leap through hoops for the dubious benefit of staying in a country that is about to fall off an economic cliff, thanks to the result of a referendum designed to end discord in their own bigoted, minority-interest party and their own ineptitude at any kind of negotiations (including Theresa May’s failure to negotiate her way out of a car door at one point) thereafter.
And they see it as an opportunity to deport anybody who fails to provide this information and/or cough up the cash.
Charming.
The social media have reacted appropriately. Here‘s Liisa Smith: “How disgraceful. I’ve been living here for nearly 18 years as a tax-paying resident and this is how the UK government treats people. It makes me sick.”
John Clarke tweeted for many when he wrote: “The Tories shame us all.”
As Rachael Swindon elaborated, the scheme is “horrific, cynical, threatening and unnecessary. They promised to learn the lessons of the hostile environment policy, and lied once again.”
Labour MP David Lammy added: “Shame. What a way to treat our neighbours, friends, family and partners from Europe. King Herod would be proud Theresa May. Screw this shit.” Strong words for an MP, but appropriate, perhaps.
But what do EU-born residents make of it all? The answer is: Not a lot.
Peter Stefanovic stated: “As the son of an immigrant and part of a European family I can honestly say this breaks my heart.”
And Stewart Wood told us: “Just told my 83-year old German mum, who has lived here since 1964, that she’ll have to go through (& pay for) this process – to prove to the Home Office who she is, & that she’s not a criminal. I tried hard, but couldn’t really explain why. It’s an awful stain on our country.”
That it is – by which I mean, obviously, the Conservative government is an awful stain on our country.
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Reading the government website on “Settled Status” suggests to me that lessons from Windrush have been learned and the failure of successive administrations since 1946 to properly officially record and issue individual confirmatory status documents can be avoided. The difference, of course, is that the Windrush generation are UK citizens and those from EU countries are not and so should meet the same or similar requirements as any other alien coming from a non EU country…eg Australia, Canada and the USA.
They already do, of course.
There is freedom of movement without visas in the EU, this is not so with the countries I have mentioned. Foreigners from EU countries will cease to have this right on Uk leaving, therefore, without adequate documentation couls easily be caught up in a Windrush style situation.
See my earlier comment has not yet appeared, so what would you do differently from what is detailed in the government website?
You should be aware that every comment that appears on this site has to be moderated. Your original comment was submitted at 11.09am and you are complaining that it did not appear by 12.58pm. Is there any reason for your haste?
My comment was submitted on 28th not 29th and had disappeared altogether when I queried its non appearance.
I loathe and detest nasty racially bigoted evil Tories.