Gavin Harris

There is no such thing as living part time.

There was protection for those under the withdrawal agreement who chose to take residency.

They were already stretching the existing EU rules by not registering as a resident despite staying up to 6 months - and often much longer - without registering.

Europe did not rule out the steps on the stairs. Barnier used this illustration to demonstrate how Theresa May's own red lines was ruling out any deals that would be similar to existing relationships.

The only reason they said they were not options was if Theresa May stuck to her red lines.

This is incorrect. The staircase showed existing relationships with other countries so it did show what could be possible.

It was only Theresa May's own self imposed red lines that ruled those options out.

Brexit was never defined so it wasn't about leaving all institutions.

As can someone from the USA, Sustrakia, Canada, New Zealand and other countries who can visit visa free.

It's not an 'EU' thing.

What do you "just lapse"? Someone who has maintained their residency gets to keep it.

Migrants aside, there is a huge issue with the capitalism model if it requires ever greater growth and consumption.

The world population can not keep growing at the rate it is.

The economic model needs to be looked at.

I'm not claiming it was a majority. But genuinely, this was the conversation happening in bars in Spain. People who were likely to be most affected by Brexit, actively voting for it. Their own British exceptionalism thinking they were propping up the Spanish economy. It was absolutely mind blowing.

So basically they were living in Spain and not paying social security in Spain. That was tax evasion.

Cake and eating it comes to mind again. Why would you have any sympathy for someone living like that? There were ways to do it legally.

Well that doesn't seem unfair to me.

They didn't follow the rules. Why did they leave it until the absolute last minute.

The requirement was to be legally living in Spain by the end of 2020, which they weren't.

These were not the types who were in a position to get a golden visa.

You really need to speak with people who were in the bars in Spain before the referendum.

Watch this. www.facebook.com/watch/?v=229...

I absolutely recognise those people. My point originally was around those who voted for Brexit who were going to be - and ended up being - affected by it.

They genuinely thought that Spain 'needed' them so desperately.

Who was refused registration and for what reason?

Those who had no obligation to register weren't living on Spain. I'm sympathetic to those who voted remain. My point is simply around those who were in that situation who voted for the UK to leave the EU.

I criticise those who were in that situation and voted for Brexit.

Those who registered have retained their pre Brexit rights, as per Article 18 of the Withdrawal Agreement.

But many didn't - even those who had lived in Spain for many years. They were EU citizens, they had a right to live in Spain so there was no rejection (unless they didn't meet the very basic requirements).

Your claim was bigger.

There are no stats. But there were plenty of Brits in the bars in Spain saying how they were going to vote - and plenty of news articles too.

Anyone (pre Brexit) spending more than 3 months in Spain was supposed to register their presence.

1/2

You'd be surprised how many Brits in Spain (many not registered in Spain) voted for Brexit.

They genuinely didn't think it would affect them, because in their mind, Spain's economy was reliant on them.

Many are now back in the UK and limited with their time in Spain.

Shot themselves in the foot.

But that's exactly what it is - EU member state citizenship.

It's very clear that the citizenship is linked to the country being an EU member.

It's back to the analogy of being members of the gym - you have to maintain your membership to contuve enjoying the benefits.

If they require more than 90/180 then they are not an expat - they are nothing more than a tourist enjoying extended holidays.

An expat is someone who has actually made the move to Spain.

That's not what he was saying at all.

He was highlighting that removing visa waivers was a post Brexit stick the EU could used to ensure the UK stuck to the withdrawal agreement.

He was not confusing it with pre Brexit FOM.

Let's not forget that Gibraltar isn't even part of the UK common travel area. So even flying from Gib to UK you still go through passport control on arrival in the UK; unlike arriving from Ireland or Jersey for example.

👋 Hi. Yes - feel free to message me the specifics of what you need help with.

Once it's said the claim never gets contained.

Say something that's false often, and enough people believe it.

I don't disagree with your analysis. But that was the reality of the situation. People were so misguided.

Even Brits who emigrated to Spain barely understood their rights or what freedom of movement actually offered them.

There is a big education required so people truly understand what the EU is.

10%-20% of what?

I agree about the NHS. But it was a real reason why many pensioners kept 'one foot in the UK'.

I think that was because they didn't learn the Spanish language and therefore didn't want to use a Spanish healthcare system.

And probably their own (wrong) perception that the NHS was better.

But you are then down to a *very* small number of people genuinely in the situation you described.

Of course, it will have heavily affected them, but I don't see that group being big enough to bring change. There are other groups being affected which collectively have a stronger voice.

I genuinely think that this was such a small number of people - largely those who wanted the tax advantages of being tax resident in the UK and having access to the NHS, whilst living in Spain.

Would be far better to focus on the lack of ability to easily live in another EU country now.

And not that uncommon on the island either. I can think of multiple times I've seen that!

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