Christmas December Newsletter 2017

far. These include the right to onward movement for UK nationals living in the EU27, i.e.
our right to move to another EU27 country and take up work there, and the right to
provide cross-border services. Another problem is that citizens' rights issues have not
been ringfenced - the joint statement has the caveat "nothing is agreed until everything
is agreed". Essentially, this means that if there's no trade deal, the rights of UK citizens in
the EU27 and EU27 citizens in the UK are not guaranteed at all. In the EU27, Guy
Verhofstadt continues to fight for the rights of both sets of citizens to continue living
their lives exactly as before, and pointed out this week that the EU seems to care more
about the rights of UK citizens living in the EU27 than the UK government does. We
understand that further talks on citizens' rights will take place as negotiations progress.
Disappointingly for the UK, the EU is keen to discuss arrangements for a transition
phase before moving on to talks about a favourable trade relationship, which is the
primary aim of the UK government. At present, it seems that the UK will be obliged to
follow all EU laws during this transition, thus remaining subject to all single market and
customs union rules while not technically remaining a member. Only once the duration
and nature of the transition have been agreed will negotiations turn to trade, and the EU
has already warned that the UK is not in for an easy ride. EU negotiator Michel Barnier
has also indicated that the transition period can end no later than 31 December 2020, to
coincide with the end of the EU budget cycle. To sum up, the UK was not allowed to have
its cake and eat it in phase 1, and it certainly won't be allowed to do so in the later stages
of the negotiations.
May's victory in reaching a phase 1 agreement with the EU was marred by rebellion
from her own party at home. Conservative Dominic Grieve led a move to amend the
Brexit Bill by inserting Amendment 7, which allows for a meaningful vote on the final
Brexit deal in Parliament. This amendment means that an Act of Parliament will have to
be passed before any Brexit deal can be implemented. May refused to back down before
the divisions stage, and in the ensuing vote Grieve was supported by a further 10 Tory
MPs. Amendment 7 was passed by a majority of just 4 (309 to 305, with one active
abstainer). The result of the division was a significant embarrassment to the Prime
Minister and highlights the fragility of her government's position. The lack of unity in
the Conservative Party's ranks has not gone unnoticed by the EU27. It is abundantly
clear that May and her government do not speak even for the whole of the Conservative
Party, let alone the whole of the British people.
The strength of feeling and disunity with regard to Brexit was reflected in the whip's
bullying tactics prior to the vote and death threats from the public towards the
Conservative rebels in its aftermath.
To read the full text of the joint statement of the EU and UK on progress during phase 1
of the negotiations, click here. Press statements from Bremain and British in Europe also
make interesting reading, and explain why the agreements reached so far simply do not
go far enough.
Following the decision to move forward to phase 2 of the negotiations, Home Secretary
Amber Rudd wrote an open letter to EU27 citizens resident in the UK, attempting to
reassure them that their rights will remain "broadly" the same, and Theresa May wrote
a Christmas message to UK citizens living in the EU27 in a similar vein. Citizens' rights
groups remain unconvinced, and the response of Bremain in Spain's very own Sue
Wilson can be read here.