To ask how you feel about Article 50 being triggered tomorrow

[Ehsamy]

or at some point this month?

And I know there is a EU board tucked away somewhere but I'm interested in everyone's views.

greenpeppers that's exactly what it has done for me. I am British and I was cynical about politics before the referendum. Now I don't think I'll ever vote again. During the referendum I saw a load of swindlers and outright liars, willing to demonise innocent migrants just to gain power. Boris Johnson didn't even wholly believe we should leave, he never expected the referendum result. He just wanted to bolster his popularity in the hopes he would be PM. Then he was rewarded with a cabinet position. The whole thing makes me sick. And don't get me started on the malign influence of those controlling the press. This whole debacle including that invoving directly attacking judges, utterly disgracefully has shown that It's them MPs care more about appeasing , no longer the people.

I don't feel the same about this country.

Sew

I feel the same but I will never willingly disenfranchise myself- I will spoil my ballot rather than not vote

Badders that's my plan too. I don't think my parents would ever forgive me for not voting, but I can't imagine myself voting for any of the options currently available, so I'd be spoiling my ballot.

Counting the days until I move out of the UK.

Just the thought of not voting - as a woman - fills me with horror
We had to fight so much harder and longer for our franchise
Might have to start thinking of "witty" things to spoil my ballot with!...

"Fuck you all and the horses you rode in on"
Seems inadequate somehow 😀😡

Ovaries

Or

"Vote Knope"

😂

Gutted. Our MPs have handed us over to the right wing to he chewed up and spat out. They will be ok, make no mistake about that, it's the rest of us who will suffer the fall out of this stupidity. They are a bunch of spineless twats. My family are at risk presently as my step dad who worked for over 30 years and brought me up after my dad died is an EU national. He didn't base his plans all that time ago on Brexit and it is really unfair to put a pensioner couple (cue daily mail sad face) under such stress. Can you tell I loathe Brexit and feel really angry at those who have caused it?

I'm quite happy to vote Lib Dem. if ever we needed a Liberal voice...

"Fuck you all and the horses you rode in on"

That's an appealing alternative

"FWIW I'm not at all comfortable about using human beings as some kind of bargaining chips, but looking at this rationally does it really make sense to start guaranteeing things for foreign nationals before we talk about what reciprocal arrangements will be in place for UK citizens?"

To those who find it acceptable for the government to use Eu citizens who are settled in in the UK as 'bargaining chips', please do remember that these people moved to the UK legally and in good faith. They study and work, they marry and have children, they love and engage with 'native' Brits who are their neighbours, PILs, spouses, children (!!!), many of these people have lived here for decades, own property and consider this country as their home. That has been their right and the UK has been more than happy for EU employees to pay into the system. and take advantage in myriad other ways.

Now, the government states these 3 million human beings cannot be sure of their future any longer. Our government has decided that the people that moved here and whose homes are here can no longer be sure that they still have a home here in 2 years and that they may have to leave behind all the social networks they have built over many years in the UK.

Imagine that. Just think about that. People scrambling for papers from 10, 20, 30 even 40 years ago, bank statements, health records and what not to ensure that they won't be kicked out.

And please, sit saying "that will never happen".

The government has publicly signalled that it is prepared for exactly this to happen.

Remember we are not talking about new EU citizens moving here post Brexit but about people whose homes are here.

And then just imagine it were you. and all you knew, loved and had worked for over decades was held up to the world as simply........... a bargaining chip.

*stop saying not sit

Exactly Lalelou.

This is exactly why a 'there there it'll never happen' just won't bloody cut it.

purits

The government first tried to join the EU in 1961 (but the French Prime Minister refused to sign the accession treaty), so it would have been pretty clear if over 12 years most people didn't want to join the EU.

Here here Lalelou. Exactly right.

I thought it was very clear that none of the other eu countries were planning to deport anyone or to use British citizens as bargaining chips.
The EU has even signaled that they were considering giving British citizens a European citizenship, if they wanted, so that their rights to live in Europe was protected.
So why are British people worried about the rights of British citizens? I mean they've had much more affirmations that they weren't in danger to be deported than eu citizens in the uk.
But somehow they should be worried and it should be essential to protect them and eu citizens here aren't supposed to and are just being negative

Quite Lalelou the words people and bargaining chips are usually only put together by kidnappers disscussing terms under which they'll release their hostages.

Now the words blithely fly off the tongues of politicians. And other people who I can't conjure up a phrase for. Well I could, but I can't be asked to go through the task of having to set up a different account on mumsnet.

"And please, stop saying "that will never happen".

The government has publicly signalled that it is prepared for exactly this to happen."

In essence, yesterday, the British Parliament voted for a strategy that is in breech of Article 8 of the Human Rights Act. The right to family life and respect for the home.

The government is not only prepared for the eventuality of 3 million people who are settled here to be striped of their right to remain but actively use this threat as a strategy to negotiate Brexit.

Once you stop saying "this will never happen, not to decent people who contribute in any case" and realise that the government has actually voted that this is one possible outcome and that they are prepared for 3 million people to loose their homes and many more to loose their families.

this will never happen, not to decent people who contribute in any case

I'm wondering what is the definition of 'decent people' and does it implies that people who will not fit whatever criteria they are coming up will not be decent people??

So atm, the best bet is to say that anyone who has worked 5 continuous years is a decent person but the one that has had parch employment (maybe because of redundancy, children etc...) isn't even if they never claimed any benefits (because they were with a partner and in effect self sufficient) etc etc

Its the same non eu citizens. There is this feeling that decent people have no issue staying in the uk and therefore anyone who isn't allowed isn't such a nice person (read is only here for the benefits, has committed some sort of crime etc..). It's forgetting the huge complexity of the system and the fact that the Home Office isn't always fair.

Contributing is not the measure of a decent person.

I feel sad but resigned.

I want to ask leavers if they really knew what will actually happen, all the money that will be spent on absolute stupid bureaucratic codswallop. All that money wasted whilst schools threaten four day weeks and the NHS falls apart.

I still can't change my initial feelings on everyone that voted leave. How dare you take a chance so big on some stupid whim.

I wonder how food will make it to our supermarket shelves without migrant labour force...

Interesting parliamentary publication here: www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201617/ldselect/ldeucom/82/8208.htm

According to this, it's not just EU nationals living in the UK who are feeling unsettled about the future

"Conclusion: .The anxiety of EU nationals in the UK is matched by that of UK nationals in other EU States—the evidence we received of their distress is compelling. Many are pessimistic that the life that they had planned in another EU Member State will still be possible. Residence rights, employment rights, access to health care and the capacity to finance retirements feature large among their concerns. Just as the Government is under an obligation to provide certainty to EU nationals resident in the UK, so it is under an equal moral obligation to seek to provide certainty and legal clarity to all UK nationals working, living and studying in other EU States. It should do so urgently"

I can understand it is a difficult situation to be in but can I ask why no-one is expressing anger at those in the EU, including Merkel, who scuppered a reciprocal deal on rights to remain for EU nationals is the UK and UK nationals in the EU which TM tried to negotiate several months ago?

I agree Lou and Green. I used the term 'decent' because it highlights the the myth of the 'good migrant'. Non-native Brits have to be good and decent to be allowed to remain. Whatever that means. Very victorian.

How dare you take a chance so big on some stupid whim

I didn't vote on a whim

Underpar...don't be so pessimistic!!!
Stop being a remoaner!!
It will be sunlit uplands and unicorns for all!