Dear all,
I hope this message finds you well and healthy during these difficult times. As if life wasn’t uncertain and complicated enough, the Government has created some additional unnecessary problems for EU citizens and I would like to ask for your help at short notice to support our campaign.
Background:
EU citizens with pre-Settled and Settled Status do NOT receive a physical document as proof of their legal status in the UK. The Government intends for this to be a solely digital online system. Unfortunately online systems do malfunction and go down from time to time and this has happened on several occasions already with this system, leaving people unable to access the only proof of their legal status. Just imagine that happening when you are at border immigration trying to get back to your UK home or at the hospital to get treatment. Also, many elderly EU citizens, who have called the UK their home for decades, either don’t have the technology or the ability to easily access proof of their legal status online.
A purely online, digital system can cause unnecessary problems with potential employers, landlords, the NHS, banks and when travelling back into the country. Having physical proof as back up would make life so much easier and also give peace of mind.
You can find more background information here: http://0d385427-9722-4ee6-86fe-3905bdbf5e6e.usrfiles.com/ugd/0d3854_a4d2c8cda1754402b594d74344a212e8.pdf
Campaign:
The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill is now at the report stage at the House of Lords (HoL). Amendment 18 is asking for physical proof for EU citizens who have pre-Settled or Settled Status. The whole Bill was supposed to be scrutinised last Wednesday, however, the online voting system failed (!!! Oh the irony!) and the whole hearing was postponed until Monday, 5 October 2020 (tomorrow).
The 3 Million started a campaign to lobby the Lords and we have so far written 3581 emails to the various members of the HoL. The majority of these emails are from EU citizens and I believe it is vital that the honourable members of the HoL see that there is support amongst the British public for this amendment. They need to hear especially from employers and landlords that a purely online system is too unreliable and leaves EU citizens potentially vulnerable and at a disadvantage.
I am therefore asking you to support our campaign and join us in emailing the Lords and Ladies. All the information you need, incl a list of email addresses, is here:
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this email and for all the support you have given us EU citizens already.
Stay safe and well.
All the best,
Larissa Slaney
The European Movement in Scotland is committed to promoting the essential European value of free speech. Consequently, we regularly publish articles by leading academics, journalists and others discussing issues germane to Scotland’s place in Europe. Such articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Movement in Scotland.
