Is anyone else getting quite tired of being called a racist?

[Peppatina]

I know it can't just be me.

It doesn't matter what carefully thought out reasons a brexiter has for wanting to leave (I've seen some very articulate and reasoned ones on mn itself) we are still all getting lumped into a stereotypical group of closet racist idiots.

And Lord forbid any of those reasons might just involve any concern over levels of eu migration!

I've been told that I'm essentially imagining the three week waiting list for my GP or that this is nothing to do with eu migration. If I say I know it is because of the names being called out I become the equivalent of Enoch Powell.

The same goes for a certain local estate very much being a no go area, especially for young girls. After braving this street once with my children and being spat on and shouted at by a group of very hostile Romanian men/boys I've been told I imagined it.

When I had my son a few week ago my I was the only English speaking person in my ward. A polish man was shouting and being very aggressive to staff as they were struggling to find an interpreter.

I absolutely know that not every migrant is aggressive and that they should build more schools and go surgeries but I believe I'm right to be concerned about a high number of migrants who are not intergrating with their local community and the unsustainable strain on services.

I'm sick of being told that my experiences don't matter. That to even mention that this is what life is like in our town means I am a racist or little englander.

Does that mean we'll be stuck with it either way Chalala?

I wish I knew, Paninis!

If Britain Remains, then it'll be whatever the EU negotiates - France and Germany have been pushing back against TTIP a lot, partly due to the pressure of their public opinions, to the points that talks have now stalled. I think it'll still happen in the end, but hopefully with some significant concessions from the US.

If Britain Leaves, then it'll depend who's in power, and if they can convince the US to negotiate a quick trade deal. Of course the easiest way to strike a quick deal is to just say yes to all of TTIP. And the Tories aren't exactly opposed to the idea. And then there's also the possibility that Britain Leaves but stays in the Single Market, in which case I presume that whatever the EU negotiate without us would also apply here.

That was the long answer. The short answer is, I don't know!! :-)

I agree with you about TTIP, Chalala. It was something that was making me wonder about which way to vote but I think we'll be in a worse bargaining position outside the EU.

I'm still undecided but was talking to a British friend yesterday who went to Holland 5 years ago to work. As an EU citizen he had to register in his local 'council', take out private health insurance, show proof of where he was going to live and learn to read and write to a certain standard and have a test to prove this within one year of starting work.

I would be more likely to vote to remain if Britain put the same requirements in place.

I thought EU citizens were exempt from the language testing; we certainly were in Belgium.

scary - I'm not sure about now but he certainly had to do it 5 years ago

Not every leave voter is a racist, but every racist is most assuredly a leave voter.

I'm about to move to Germany - no language testing there for EU movement. You would need medical insurance and to register with the council but that rule is for everyone in the country: German citizen or EU immigrant.

Not heard that one before IrishDad

You don't have to take the Dutch proficiency test if you are from an EU country (well unless you want to study a degree in Dutch, but language proficiency tests for university study are pretty standard worldwide).

Registering with local councils & taking out health insurance isn't unusual when working abroad - I had to do both (& provide fingerprints & carry an alien registration card) when I lived in Japan.

No I'm not sure that follows. Some people will be voting to Remain purely because they will be better off financially if we stay in. Doesn't mean they can't be racist as well, just that money is a higher priority for them.

Remainers aren't morally superior to Leavers, they just have different priorities. I think a lot of the Remain reasons are selfish but they probably think the same of my Leave reasons.

To Irishdad btw. Yes an eye roll would have been quicker.

How about not doing that Irish Dad Completely distasteful

Maybe Irishdad leavers just believe in democracy and are wary of a euro army. Ireland's neutral status isn't enshrined in it's constitution. I wouldn't be so smug.

sneezydopey: [a friend in Holland had to] learn to read and write to a certain standard and have a test to prove this within one year of starting work.

Certainly wasn't the case for my friends who moved to the Netherlands. In fact, expats are given a huge exemption from income tax for the first five years of residency - so they take home more money for the same work than locals - with no obligation to learn the language. My friends finally learned some Dutch after they'd been there seven years as they had kids by then and the kids learned Dutch at school. Other friends have been in Holland for four years and only know a few words.

(Have just Googled: there are no requirements at all for EU nationals, skilled migrants from elsewhere need a work permit - just like they do here - but there is no language requirement).

Quick point of fact. There is no EU army and there is not going to be one.

fullfact.org/europe/hunt-eu-army/

(Sorry to derail just responding to point earlier)

Not sure anyone can so nothat or never about anything on either of the sides in all honesty.

EU nationals coming to the UK don't have a 'right to reside' unless they have a job, or are a registered jobseeker, and comprehensive medical insurance.
www.gov.uk/right-to-reside

The European Court backed Britain on this one which means that in future we might see more happening on this front.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/14/uk-can-refuse-benefits-to-unemployed-eu-migrants-judges-rule

Ha ha ha. beaky you are kidding, right?

Strictly speaking, the EU national should be job hunting and after a certain time can be asked to leave if they are considered a "burden".

This NEVER happens. We don't even know who rocks up, let alone how their job seeking is going.

This why there are gangs of Roma beggars where I live. I often wonder where the local homeless have gone. Because it won't be to a home

If you're such a concerned citizen why not shop them to the DWP?