A Letter to Dominic Raab and Thérèse Coffey

The benefit of Brexit

As a recipient of a UK state pension and living in the Czech Republic, last Friday I received a letter from the British government. The letter was organised by the Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Thérèse Coffey. Below is the text of what I have written in reply, sent this afternoon by email, to both ministers.

Dear Mr Raab, Dear Ms Coffey,

On Friday 4th December 2020, I received a letter entitled, ‘UK Transition Period: A message for UK Nationals living in the Czech Republic’. Ostensibly, it came from the British Embassy in Prague. However, as is acknowledged at the end of the letter, it was actually compiled by the Department of Work and . . . → Read More: A Letter to Dominic Raab and Thérèse Coffey

Brexit

My small act of defiance today. The EU flag is proudly flying on the front of my house © Ricky Yates

Today is a very sad day. At midnight tonight (CET), 23.00 (GMT), the United Kingdom will cease to be a member of the European Union (EU) and consequently, I will lose my EU citizenship.

All this has come about through an ill thought out referendum, held more that three and a half years ago. It was called by the then Prime Minister, David Cameron, not for the benefit of the country but to avoid a complete split in the Conservative party. In that referendum, which was only advisory, 37% of the electorate, which was then 27% of the population, voted to leave the EU. Which means that 63% of the electorate and . . . → Read More: Brexit

Living in Limbo-land

My British passport which still currently declares me to be an EU citizen © Ricky Yates

Just over two weeks ago, the UK voted by a small majority, in a non-binding referendum, to leave the European Union (EU). This result has left me, and around two million other UK citizens residing in other EU member states, living in Limbo-land, totally unsure about our future.

I have lived and worked in the Czech Republic since September 2008, on the basis of being a citizen of another EU member state. The free movement of people and labour is one of the founding principles of the EU. And as I wrote in a post earlier this year, it is my intention to retire in 2017 and live somewhere else within the EU, most likely in Spain. Now, because of the referendum, my future plans maybe . . . → Read More: Living in Limbo-land