To foster a community of European Britons
The need for a forward looking, fresh and innovative home for the UK diaspora in Europe has arisen from the ashes of the recent past. The realisation that the days of imperial grandeur are long gone, the rise of the global village as epitomised by all embracing international travel and instant communications have created new relationships and communities.
However, for many this new world has also rendered old relationships redundant; many feel ignored and snubbed as the world has moved on. For UK passport holders who once relished the epithet "expatriate" or worse "expat" and the historic associations of the British label are well past their sell by date. The realities of the misstep of 2016 are now dawning and the Elizabethan age is fading.
So a fresh start, a new reign and a new age dawns.
As a visitor here, you can be part of a fantastic community. We need a new identity - "European Britons" is staring us all in the face; hidden in plain sight!
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We aspire to meet our vision to foster the community of European Britons by:
- holding tthe UK government to account to fulfill its responsibilites to provide for the well-being and security of its citizens across the world
- seeking the creation of constituences abroad that Britons be represented directly in the UK Parliament.
- enfranchising European Britons legally resident in an EU Country (of 3rd nation status), to vote locally and in European Parliamentary elections.
- supporting “enabling legislation” within the UK, to rescind the 15-year cap on voting in UK parliamentary elections and referenda.
Implicit in this non party political agenda is to encourage the U.K. to re-engage with the European Union (EU) and its common market, while aligning the customs structure, by supporting the UK's full participation in the European Political Community (EPC) and with other nations.
The UK government’s Settlement Scheme for EU nationals living in the country has been declared unlawful in a High Court ruling on Wednesday 21 December 2022. The judgement means that some 2.5 million EU nationals currently living in the UK with ‘pre-settled status’ will be entitled to permanent residency status as agreed in the Withdrawal Agreement, though the government has indicated that it will appeal.
It appears that the UK government is willing to overturn international agreements to suit its own political objectives by disregarding the rule of law and playing to its audience of the far right. The Northern Ireland Protocol along with the Settlement Scheme for EU nationals are both in question and may provoke reciprocal action by EU countries if this judgement were to be overruled in favour of the government.
So what are the implications for European Britons, Britons with “settled status” or legal residency in the EU? What protection does the Withdrawal Agreement afford some 2 million UK passport holders currently living in the EU if the government overturns this landmark judgement? Who is protecting the rights of European Britons? Who affords the security and well being of UK citizens abroad?
European Britons legally resident in the EU fall under three legal jurisdictions; the UK, the EU and their host nation. Moreover, many have lost their right to democratic representation in their governance; no votes in the UK, the EU and in their host nation. The rump is completely disenfranchised and without democratic representation; a clear breach of Article 21 of the Declaration of Human Rights.
Whilst the rupture of the relationship of the UK and EU (BREXIT) has spawned a myriad of initiatives, organisations and groups that have admirably dealt with the immediate effects and successfully ameliorated some of the worst outcomes, none has taken on the mantle of dealing with the systemic and underlying problem; the fundamental breach of human rights – the right to vote, the right to democratic representation and equality under the law.
In drawing attention to the deficits of voting rights, democratic representation and equality under the law for European Britons, a sense of community, a common cause and a voice will be fostered. Be strong.
Recognition of European Britons as an expatriate community is non-existent; to be abandoned one has to be recognised in the first place! We belong.
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