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BREXIT

RECAP: Brits in Europe vent anger after May postpones Brexit vote

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has formally told the UK Parliament that the vote has been postponed because there is not enough support for the current backstop solution to avoid a hard border in Ireland. She has said she will go back to the EU to improve on the deal, especially with regards to the backstop. Rights groups in Europe have expressed anger that the vote was postponed.

Published: 10 December 2018 18:45 CET
RECAP: Brits in Europe vent anger after May postpones Brexit vote
British PM Theresa May has postponed the UK Parliament's vote on the draft Brexit deal because of MPs' “concerns” about the backstop, which could threaten “a hard border” between Ireland and Northern Ireland. 

“The deal would be rejected by a significant margin,” said May, justifying why the vote will be delayed. “We will not seek to divide the house at this time.” The issue of the backstop is the one that has caused the largest division, says May, and prompted the decision to postpone the vote. 

  • May says she will consult again with EU leaders on the backstop
  • PM says a second referendum risks “dividing the country again”
  • Leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn calls for the PM to “make way” if she cannot get a new consensus out of Brussels and the EU27
  • PM Theresa May refuses to commit to a new date for the vote, although it will have to be in the next 42 days – before January 21st, 2019. 
  • May says discussions with EU leaders reassured her that they are open to some renegotiations. The EU Commission has said that the current deal is final and non-negotiable. 
  • British in Europe lament being left “in limbo” for even longer about the future status of British citizens in Europe
  • EU Council President Donald Tusk says the deal, including the backstop, will not be renegotiated. 

19:11 EU Council says it will not renegotiate backstop

EU Council President Donald Tusk says the EU27 is “not willing to renegotiate, including on the backstop” but “but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario.

18:57 First media reactions from the EU to May's vote postponement

“May pulls the emergency brakes” – headline in Munich's Süddeutsche Zeitung

“Brexit, May's government in chaos” –  Italian daily Repubblica leads with that headline in its coverage

“May confirms her intention to renegotiate the deal with the EU” – Spain's El Mundo

18:50 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan reiterates support for People's Vote or revocation of Article 50

18:46 More from British in Europe

“Parliament also needs to make its mind up and decide quickly if it's going to go for a People's Vote or revoke Article 50 unilaterally. It's not just EU negotiators whose patience is wearing thing. EU 27 governments are already looking at their no deal contingency plans and the window to make any of these things happen is closing rapidly,” British in Europe told The Local. 

18:41 Opposition minor parties want May out

Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal Democrats, and Nicola Sturgeon, head of the Scottish National Party, have said they would support Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn if he calls for a vote of no-confidence.

18:40 “If the PM can change her mind, so can the public” – MP Caroline Lucas

18:35 Postponement is equivalent to deal rejection, says Dutch analyst

A key Brexit analyst with Dutch think tank Clingendael, Rem Korteweg, says the vote postponement is equivalent to the deal being voted down.

18:30 Vote postponement hits EU markets

Markets in Europe are reacting badly to May's announcement of the vote being postponed. The Borsa in Milan, owned by the London Stock Exchange, is down 1.77%, according to Italian daily Repubblica.  Stock markets in Paris and Frankfurt have also taken a hit today. 

18:26 May in confident mood, despite postponing the vote

“I believe from discussions with my EU colleagues that they do want a deal,” says PM. The former EU Commissioner Romano Prodi made the same point in an interview with the Guardian recently in which he expressed the view that the EU Commission would be willing to renegotiate to get a deal. 

18:23 A vote before Christmas? 

Most interventions from MPs are now pushing for a new date before Christmas, but PM May is not giving in to specifying a new date for an MPs vote on Brexit. Reactions to May's announcement to the UK Parliament that the vote will be postponed are ongoing. 

18:21 Further reassurances from France for Brits 

“Just before Theresa May spoke in the Commons, Nathalie Loiseau (ED: France's Europe minister) was speaking in the Assemblée nationale plenary debate on the projet de loi. She stated very strongly that British residents in France would be 'as welcome tomorrow as they are today' and that we shouldn't be the 'hostages of Brexit'. So some reassurance for Brits in France on a difficult afternoon,” RIFT'S Kalba Meadows told The Local in a written comment. 

READ ALSO: 'Brits in France are victims of Brexit' – French senator vows to fight for UK citizens 

18:18 Will a new declaration from the EU/UK be ready in time for Thursday's EU Council meeting?´

18:14 Representative of Brits in France calls postponement “dangerous” 

“900 days in limbo and here we are watching the can being kicked down the road … Unbelievable, dangerous, and to what end? At worst there should be, as the speaker has strongly suggested, a motion to debate whether the vote should be delayed or not, instead of this unilateral declaration that doesn't serve anything or anyone. But it's obvious that the House isn't going to resolve this message and the time must now have come to put the question back to the people in a further vote – including of course a vote for the 5 million British in Europe and EU citizens in the UK!” Kalba Meadows, chair of Remain in France Together (RIFT), a group representing Brits in France, told The Local. 

18:11 No new date until May talks to EU leaders again

“We need to enter into discussions with the European Union. Until we have done that, it is not possible to give a date,” PM May says in response to a question requesting when the new date will be. 

18:09 Frankfurt wants the WA, not a “disorderly Brexit” 

Before today's vote, voices in Frankfurt expressed the hope that Parliament would accept the Withdrawal Agreement. 

“Frankfurt Main Finance would welcome the adoption of the agreement by the British Parliament. For above all, a “yes” would be a definite “no” to an unregulated Brexit.  Approval of the agreement and a regulated withdrawal would mean more certainty for markets and for the banks, which could now finally make reliable plans. We have waited a long time for this. Even if still hold the opinion that the withdrawal from the EU is neither good for Europe nor for Germany nor the UK,” Hubertus Väth, managing director of the financial centre initiative Frankfurt Main Finance, said in a statement on December 10th. 

18:06 The big question is: when will the vote in the UK Parliament now be held?

18:04 House of Cards Commons language

There has been some very angry comments directed towards the PM in Parliament – she has been called a “coward,” among other things, for postponing the vote.

18:00 “EU leaders will not give TM more than very minor changes to her deal” – head of Brussels think tank

May says she can get concessions out of the EU, but key observers in Brussels aren't convinced. This from Charles Grant, director of think tank The Centre for European Reform. 

17:55 Boris Johnson needs a rest from Brexit?

Everybody is fully engaged in the debate in the UK Parliament. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson – one of the key politicians who started this whole quagmire – is yawning his way through it. 

17:52 Do you think Brits in Europe should be allowed to vote in any second referendum? If so, Best for Britain has started a petition to that end. 

A lot of people are calling for what is being labelled a People's Vote, a second referendum on Brexit now the terms of the future relationship with the EU are clear(er). British in Europe spokeswoman Laura Shields say Brits in the EU should be given the chance to vote in any such plebiscite. 

17:48 Notes on voting

Should the first referendum result be sacrosanct or is there space for a second vote? The debate ensues.

17:42 British in Europe reiterates need for ring-fencing of rights

“The PM needs to get on with it and allow the vote to happen.  Britons living in Europe need certainty and we've now been in limbo for 900 days.  But, if, as expected, she loses, we need her and the EU 27 to move to ring-fence the existing – if imperfect – withdrawal agreement straight away, so that real people's lives don't get forgotten in the chaos that will inevitably ensue,” Laura Shields, spokeswoman for British in Europe, told The Local. 

17:38 PM believes the EU is willing to renegotiate

“Nothing is off the table,” says PM May. The main thing is to seek reassurances from EU leaders that “the backstop will not be indefinite.” She says her discussions with EU leaders reassured her that she will still be able to have discussions about the deal and make changes. This is contrary to what the EU Commission has been repeating in recent days – that the deal on the table is final and non-negotiable. 

17:34 EU Council schedule makes no mention of Brexit talks

 The EU Council summit schedule, according to Austria's current presidency of the Council, for the end of this week makes no mention of renegotiating anything in the Brexit deal. Are they also surprised? 

17:31 “We entered as one United Kingdom and will be leaving as one United Kingdom,” says May in response to a question in a raucous House of Commons. The Speaker has made several interventions calling for calm. 

17:26 The European Council is scheduled to meet on December 13th and 14th – Thursday and Friday this week, providing an opportunity for the PM to meet her EU counterparts directly. Meanwhile, May has been talking to EU leaders on the phone. 

17:23 Nicola Sturgeon presses for new date

The First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has noted that the content of the PM's speech conspicuous for its absence of a new date for the vote. Theresa May has postponed the vote but has refused to commit to a new date. Parliament will have to be given a vote in the next 42 days – before January 21st. 

17:21 Concern from EU citizens

EU citizens in the EU are expressing concerns about the devaluation of the pound, the lowest the pound has sunk in 18 months. 

In other news today, the ECJ has ruled that the UK can unilaterally revoke Article 50 and remain a member of the EU, should it choose to. 

READ ALSO: UK can cancel Brexit before March 29th without EU's consent, ECJ rules

17:20 Theresa May says a second referendum would lead to a third referendum to decide the result. “The people voted, we should deliver on it,” says May. 

17:13 British in Europe, the grassroots campaign for the rights of British citizens in Europe, says the “delay is adding to the stress that we are feeling” – the 1.2 million to 3.6 million British citizens in Europe. 

“The elements do not offer sufficient number of colleagues the reassurances they need,” May said.

17:10 Guy Verhofstadt, of the EU Parliament (and the former Belgian  PM), is not impressed with the delay.

17:04 This has turned into a robust debate. Kenneth Clarke and Ian Duncan Smith, both Conservatives in May's party, are grilling her on whether she thinks she can get the EU to “reopen the Withdrawal Agreement.”  

17:02 The PM says the latest a vote could be held will be January 21st next year, which we already knew. But she refuses to commit to a new date for a vote. 

17:00 MPs need to know when the vote will be, says one MP, calling the PM a coward for cancelling. 
 
16:58 A deal similar to the “Norway and Canada” deal would risk “a period with a backstop” says May. 
 
16:56 The Speaker has called for MPs to have a say on when the vote should take place. 

16:49 Corbyn says PM “must make way” if “she cannot renegotiate a deal.” 

16:48 Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition, reacts to May's speech. 

He asks if the PM is seeking merely “reassurances” or “changes” to the deal? Is she willing to drop “further red lines to make progress,” Corbyn asks. 

16:44 PM'S SPEECH ON POSTPONEMENT OF VOTE: the main quotes

The PM says she “has listened and heard concerns about the backstop” and will “do her best” to seek further reassurances. The Speaker has had to tell raucous MPs not to drown out the PM's speech. The House of Commons resembles a pub full of angry crowds more than a political debating forum today. 

16:43 Remaining part of the Single Market and customs Union would require free movement and substantial financial contribution to the EU budget, adds May, saying such measures would not respect the “outcome of the referendum.” 

16:42 A second referendum risks “dividing the country again,” says May. 

16:41 “Does this house want to deliver Brexit?” May asks, to widespread laughter. “If the answer is yes,” adds May, “We have to ask if we are willing to make a compromise.” Some of the toughest aspects, such as the backstop, are “inescapable facts” of the negotiations, says May. 

16:40 The Speaker has had to interrupt heckling during the PM's speech. 

16:39 “These elements do not offer sufficient number of colleagues the reassurances they need,” on how to avoid the backstop, says May. She adds that she will travel to meet her counterparts across the EU to discuss how to avoid the backstop. 

16:38 May is talking about the people who live on the Northern Irish/Ireland border. “They do not want a return to the hard border. If this house cares about preserving this union, we must” listen to those who live along the border, says May. 

16:36 “The deal would be rejected by a significant margin,” says May, justifying why the vote will be delayed. “We will not seek to divide the house at this time.” The issue of the backstop is the issue that has caused the largest division, says May. 

16:33 “We've now had three days of debate on the withdrawal agreement,” begin PM May. 

16:30 Theresa May is scheduled to make a statement to the UK Parliament at 3.30pm UK time in which she is expected to formally announce the postponement of tomorrow's vote on the draft Brexit deal. 

15:00 The UK parliament was due to vote on May's deal on Tuesday but May has decided to put the decision on hold, according to British media reports.

The move is being viewed as an admission that parliament was likely to reject the deal.

The British PM is set to give a statement to the House of Commons at 3.30pm local time. 

Downing Street has not yet confirmed the delay but the BBC and other media said they had multiple sources saying the vote would not go ahead on Tuesday as planned. 

The pound tumbled to its lowest level since June 2017 amid market fears of the UK tumbling out of the EU without a deal. 

In a separate development on Monday, a European Court of Justice ruling said the UK did not need the EU's permission if it wanted to unilaterally cancel its Brexit plans before March 29th. 

There is speculation that the British Prime Minister will return to Brussels in the hope of getting a better deal, particularly around the Northern Ireland backstop. However Brussels and EU leaders have repeatedly insisted that the deal is not up for re-negotiation.

Member comments

  1. May, a rremainer by instinct, clearly works for Brussels. She needs a break from UK office work. Perhaps she should take this opportunity to go on one of her famous long walks somewhere exotic, and remain there.

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RESIDENCY PERMITS

Why is it so hard to get an appointment at some of Spain’s foreigner offices?

One of the reasons Brits in Spain say they haven't got a TIE residency card yet is the apparent impossibility of getting an appointment at their local extranjería office or police station. So is there any truth to this?

Published: 17 May 2024 10:34 CEST
Why is it so hard to get an appointment at some of Spain's foreigner offices?

Anyone who has tried to do anything official in Spain will be well aware of the dreaded cita previa system, whereby they must first make an appointment.

For foreign residents, this is not a simple task. It’s not just a question of simply making an appointment as more often than not, there aren’t any available.

And it’s not like you can just log-on a day later and find more. Many people spend weeks or even months trying to make these appointments, so they can carry out mandatory bureaucratic procedures.

These appointments are needed for everything from applying for or renewing your TIE if you’re non-EU to getting your EU green residency card. They’re needed again when going in for fingerprinting or even just trying to pick up your card once it’s ready.

Earlier this week, the British Embassy in Madrid stressed that it’s “really important” that the 200,000+ UK nationals in Spain with a green residency certificate exchange it for a TIE card “as soon as possible” to avoid issues with the EU’s new Entry-Exit System. 

READ ALSO – ‘Get the TIE now’: Brits in Spain urged to exchange residency document

The problem is that the exchange has never been made compulsory, only strongly encouraged and around half of British residents in Spain still haven’t gotten their TIE after Brexit.

In reaction to the announcement by the British Embassy, numerous British residents in Spain commented how hard it is get an appointment at their local police station or extranjería (foreign affairs) office.

Could the difficulty in getting an appointment be one of the reasons to blame for this?

So why are these cita previas so coveted and why are they so difficult to get?

Unfortunately, it’s not just a question of simple Spanish bureaucracy. There’s something slightly more sinister going on here. The fact of the matter is that if you go to certain relocation companies, firms and agencies they can get you an appointment straightaway – if you pay for it.

A year ago in May 2023, Spain arrested 69 people for blocking appointments at immigration offices. They were accused of booking up all the available appointments via a computer bot to later sell to foreigners to make a profit, despite the fact that this process should be free.

Arrests were carried out in Madrid, Albacete, Alicante, Almería, Badajoz, Barcelona, ​​Vizcaya, Burgos, Cádiz, Córdoba, the Balearic Islands, Marbella, Murcia, Tarragona, Tenerife, Toledo and Valencia, which gives us an idea of how widespread the illegal practice is.

Although Spanish police managed to dismantle this particular ring of criminals, it did not solve the problem.

Just seven months later in December 2023, ONG Movimiento Por la Paz (MPDL) confirmed to Levante news in Valencia that the ministry’s network had been hacked for two years and that it was unfair to foreigners who were being discriminated against because of it. 

They also claimed that the police and foreign ministry knew about the problem and still let it happen. 

Vincente Marín, CEO and lawyer for Parainmigrantes website aimed at foreign residents and those wanting Spanish nationality, confirmed this in a video he posted on the site.

He explained that bots hack into the system and that whenever appointments become available, they can book them up in seconds and then sell them on the black market for between €100 and €200, admitting it was a big problem for his firm too.

The initial screen of the appointment page (cita previa) on Spain’s extranjería website, and where many foreigners find it impossible to book residency official processes.

Fast forward to February 2024 and a group of lawyers and gestores from Castellón and Valencia denounced the system, saying that it was “controlled by criminal mafias”. They also cited the problem of bots hacking the system and complained that some of their clients still hadn’t been able to get appointments in five or six months.

In May of this year, the issue is still ongoing. Balearic news site Ultima Hora reported several readers who had been trying to get appointments for months in Mallorca and had been unsuccessful.

One has to get an appointment before her residency card runs out in June and was even considering paying an agency who were asking for €200 to help her get one.

Wherever there’s a sizable population of foreigners, from Barcelona to Valencia, the extranjería website has generally been ‘hacked by bots’.

In order to improve the situation more national police have been called in to work at the Immigration Office in Orihuela (Alicante) because of the number of foreigners living in the area. The police there have confirmed that they have allocated more resources for the issuance of documents too, to try and speed up processes. 

If you’re trying for an appointment the best option is to aim to not pay for one if you can help it, as you’re only fuelling the problem.

Reputable law firms may still be able to help you get one by dedicating more resources to applying for them manually, but you shouldn’t have to pay over the odds for what should be a free service. 

Here are our tips on how to get a cita previa when it seems impossible. 

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