OUR LOBBYING HAS HELPED TO BRING ABOUT LORDS VICTORY ON EU CITIZENS' RIGHTS

House of Lords vote 01/03/17  Photo: Huffington Post

Over the last few days, as part of a concerted effort of groups of UK and EU nationals, EuroCitizens has been involved in intense lobbying of peers, to bring about an amendment guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens in Britain. This has paid off and yesterday the government suffered a heavy defeat in the House of Lords (BBC). The amendment backed requires the government to introduce proposals within three months of Article 50 to ensure EU citizens in the UK have the same residence rights after Brexit.
We would like to thank all EuroCitizens who sent off emails to peers to try to influence their vote. The coalition of UK citizen groups was unhappy that the Labour amendment did not mention the rights of Britons in Europe, but that does not alter our total support for unilateral action to safeguard the  rights of our European counterparts in Britain.
In the next few days, the focus will move back to MPs as the bill returns to the Commons. With three-line whips and huge pressure on Conservative rebels from party bosses it looks unlikely that the amendment will go through. However, we will continue lobbying MPs.
You still have time to write to your old MP and to get your friends and family to do the same. They must realise that we are not bargaining chips!

Bombard peers and mps with demands for unilateral action towards EU citizens