Letters: No charge, but no votes... and no change from May
A tour bus passes anti-Brexit banners outside the Houses of Parliament. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA. - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Readers welcome the scrapping of charges for EU citizens and have thoughts on ideas for Theresa May's Plan B.
The announcement of the scrapping of the charge for application for settled status of EU citizens is to be welcomed.
The government should go one step further and grant to these same citizens the right to vote. Many have lived here most of their life (and certainly more than five years). They are husbands, wives, partners with British-born children. They have a genuine interest and love for this country.
Indeed, it is evident that they know more than the Brexiter who told me 'I voted because of immigration. I don't want the Africans to come' and who thought eastern European countries were still part of Russia.
Coincidentally, at an estimated 2.9 million, they would outnumber the 1.3 million who are considered to represent 'the will of the people'.
You may also want to watch:
Mark J. Philpot, Mold
Most Read
- 1 Nigel Farage loses nearly 50,000 followers after Twitter suspends QAnon accounts
- 2 Tory minister admits UK rejected EU's music visa offer in order to 'take back control' of borders
- 3 Progressive alliance could see Labour win 351 seats at next election, new analysis reveals
- 4 Bob Geldof takes swipe at No 10 saying 'lying is second nature' to them
- 5 Former Brexit Party MEP dies in diving accident in the Bahamas
- 6 The greatest failure of government in our lifetime
- 7 What Auf Wiedersehen, Pet teaches us about Britain and Europe
- 8 Jacob Rees-Mogg says it's 'all the EU's fault' musicians can't tour Europe
- 9 Boris Johnson blames seafood companies for post-Brexit sales slump
- 10 Priti Patel fails to appear in Commons to answer questions on missing police records
If Theresa May really had listened, she could have delivered a Plan B that:
• Saves the country £39 billion of the 'divorce payment' agreement;
• Guarantees there is not a cliff edge no-deal, saving billions in planning;
• Maintains free trade in goods and services with the EU, giving businesses the certainty they need;
• Guarantees the rights of EU citizens in this country, and those of the UK living in the EU27;
• Guarantees a frictionless border in Ireland, which will fully honour the Good Friday Agreement, while not incurring any extra cost.
All she had to do was tell the country: 'There is no majority in Parliament for the negotiated EU deal, for no-deal, for a Norway-style deal or a Canada-style deal. We need more time as a country to agree the best course of action. Therefore I am today writing to the EU, rescinding Article 50, as is the UK's legal right, as established recently by the ECJ.'
Brian Crook, Berkshire
A nation that is incapable of properly managing its own departure from the EU should, for its own good, stay in the EU.
Rod Logan, Walton-on-Thames
• What do you think? Send your letters for publication to letters@theneweuropean.co.uk and read all of our letters by picking up a copy of our newspaper every Thursday.
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.