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AIBU?

To ask anyone who wishes to retain personal EU membership to sign this petition

41 replies

Rainbunny · 02/02/2017 17:55

MEP Guy Verhofstadt has spoken about the idea of giving personal EU membership to UK citizens who wish to remain connected to the EU. It has a small likelihood of happening but if everyone who wants it speaks out the chance can only get better.

If like me you are sad to be separated from our closest neighbours and allies while our PM makes a Faustian bargain with the Trump, it's more important than ever to speak up. I also encourage people to message Guy Verhofstadt on his facebook page.

www.change.org/p/do-you-want-personal-eu-citizenship-send-a-message-to-the-european-parliament?response=efcedeb30b77&utm_source=target&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=one_hundred_thousand

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-latest-news-eu-citizenship-uk-stay-citizens-requests-a7555671.html

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lljkk · 02/02/2017 20:29

great idea. done

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hippy1952 · 02/02/2017 20:32

Don't be stupid.

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Rainbunny · 02/02/2017 20:35

Apparently this proposal actually is scheduled for an EU parliamentary debate this spring. I know the UK government has said it will not negotiate for this in Brexit talks but I do think that if the other 27 EU nations could overcome their anger at Brexit and approach this strategically, they would see this is a perfect little bit of revenge that would simultaneously see the EU taking the high road and providing the option of luring the best workers away from the UK... particularly useful for bankers in Frankfurt I would think ;)

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NarkyMcDinkyChops · 02/02/2017 20:36

There is no possible basis for this to actually work, even if anyone would let it happen, which they wouldn't.

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Rainbunny · 02/02/2017 20:38

So it can't possibly hurt to sign the petition anyway. If nothing else it shows both the EU and the UK government that many people wish to retain links with the EU.

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specialsubject · 02/02/2017 20:48

How could they not know that given the close referendum result?

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JamieXeed74 · 02/02/2017 20:53

Hang on. EU membership? The EU is not a state.

This is exactly why a lot of people what to leave, because the EU is becoming a state. By all means try, but dont expect the UK to support it.

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Rainbunny · 02/02/2017 20:56

Honestly I think everyone needs reminding. Brexit is inevitable now and I think the 48% who voted remain will be completely left out in the cold going forward. I'm not naive, I know this proposal most likely won't go anywhere but I have nothing to lose by signing the petition. I'm not sure why others think it's such a bad thing? If you're a leave voter, what do you care? If you're a remain voter then what harm does this petition do?

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PamplemousseRouge · 03/02/2017 01:05

Thanks OP - just signed :)

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e1y1 · 03/02/2017 01:10

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EstelleRoberts · 03/02/2017 01:14

Thanks OP. Signed.

It may be a long shot, but it has to be worth signing if there is even the slightest chance of preserving my own options, rather than have them taken off me by the herd of lemmings who are so hell-bent on throwing themselves blindly off the cliff of economic suicide.

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GruochMacAlpin · 03/02/2017 01:17

How could this possibly work?

You'd have to personally pay for the privilege and I'd think it would be quite expensive so would create a two tier system in the U.K.

How would you be able to have a say on the annual fee? Or in what it was spent on?

It's a lovely pipe dream but I really can't see how this would ever be practical.

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AgentProvocateur · 03/02/2017 01:18

Thanks. Signed.

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Darlink · 03/02/2017 01:19

Yabu

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Rainbunny · 03/02/2017 01:20

Jamiexeed74 - If you read the article I linked to and my posts, I made it clear that the UK government is not interested in pursuing this and indeed will not try for it in negotiations. The whole proposal is centered around the idea of an associate EU membership that the individual would pay a annual fee for, sort of like a visa program. The proposal does not require reciprocal action from the UK. In fact if the EU parliament actually did pass it, the UK government cannot do anything to stop it - you cannot control the immigration policy of other countries. :)

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Rainbunny · 03/02/2017 01:26

"You'd have to personally pay for the privilege and I'd think it would be quite expensive so would create a two tier system in the U.K." ??

Er, I'm not sure what the complaint is? The narrow majority in the UK voted to leave the EU, by offering a chance for individuals to attain an associate EU membership the EU doesn't "owe" any UK citizen anything anymore, if you can't pay then sadly tough luck I think would be the answer!

Getting off this island has always been an unequal prospect - other countries require a certain income level, educational level or job skill anyway so an annual EU membership fee is hardly more unfair.

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Topseyt · 03/02/2017 02:20

Signed. We have to stand up and be counted.

I don't think it is stupid. That comment was probably made by a Brexit voter.

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GruochMacAlpin · 03/02/2017 03:04

The reason I have a problem with this is that wealthy people who voted "Leave" could pay for the additional rights and therefore having made the decision leave the vast majority of people to suffer for it without feeling the consequences themselves.

It does rather make a mockery of the idea of one man one vote and they all count equally doesn't it?

It makes an ever widening gap between the rich and the poor.

And while you are correct that access to European travel has always been controlled by wealth that's not quite the same as your rights as a citizen being controlled by wealth.

I'm very, very uncomfortable with making the notion that we're all equal citizens but some are more equal than others a reality.

And btw this isn't sour grapes. I could afford to pay.

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Itisnoteasybeingdifferent · 03/02/2017 03:11

Grouch,
I think you are forgetting the large numbers of very un wealthy people who voted to leave because they. had suffered downward pressure on earnings on account of the unlimited supply of foreign workers.

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GruochMacAlpin · 03/02/2017 03:51

Erm It's Gruoch not Grouch!

I'm not forgetting them at all. I wasn't suggesting that only wealthy people voted to leave. People from all backgrounds voted to leave. I was just pointing out that the wealthy will have a "get out of jail free card" with this proposal which will be denied to the poor, thus causing an ever widening gap between the opportunities available to the children of wealthy families and the children of poor families.

I'm pretty sure that's not what those people thought they were voting for.

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scaryteacher · 04/02/2017 09:20

We are leaving the EU, which is a political vanity project. We will not be 'separated from our closest neighbours and allies', because we will be working with them on a daily basis in NATO for example, or the UN, or the G8 and 20.

France in effect did with NATO what we are doing with the EU. I hadn't noticed the rest of the NATO alliance punishing France for that over the 43 years til they rejoinedNATO mitarily in any of the other Treaty Organisations they happened to be in.

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scaredoffallout · 04/02/2017 09:38

Signed OP, thanks.

If only because it enrages a contingent of the leave faction, I think it's a great idea.

We are still EU citizens, and Guy Verhofstatd and co are looking after us. I choose him over Theresa May any day of the week.