lurchio

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41027671

I don't know whether to laugh or cry, I expect the EU feel the same, but prefer to laugh.(At us!)
Immaculate timing, execution augers well for the future........ What a total mess.

amideislas

This begs the question;

OK, the letters were sent out "by mistake", but why was this template created in the first place? It clearly shows an intentional programme to "kick out" EU nationals.

I must say, I'm embarrassed to admit I'm English. Good job I speak German. Unfortunately, the Germans readily detect my accent and cocked-up grammar. I suppose the only redemption is that it wasn't my idea, nor did I subscribe to it. But I rarely get the opportunity to explain that before getting the sorry looks.

MikeJ

Amazing coincidence that this story emerges just as the negotiation about EU citizens is about to restart!
Negotiating ploy? Fake news?

lurchio

No, just good old 'shooting yourself in the foot' I think!

amideislas

Yeah, it's just another conspiracy against Britain. And for what? We're the world's shining example of all things wise and sophisticated. Well, at least according to the Sun, Mail and Express - the only sources of "real" news these days.

Lincoln45

This template has most probably been around for quite a while, as we are allowed to deport EU citizen's for various reasons.
https://fullfact.org/europe/explaini...eu-immigrants/
It wouldn't be the first time people have been sent the wrong letters ffom a Government department.

Does it clearly show an intentional programme to kick out EU nationals I doubt it. News media wanting to make headlines. Yes

Your not a Journalist by any chance?

amideislas

Yes, I was at one time, but not for the "real news" like the sun, mail, and express.

As you point out, despite the claims of many brexiteers, yes, the UK has always been able to deport EU citizens. It would have to believe there would be some sort of process, and perhaps an actual reason for it, and explained in the deportation letter.

However it seems someone wrote a template for a terse, direct letter demanding that the addressee leave immediately for no specified reason, or face being incarcerated. That strikes me as quite extraordinary. Even stranger, it was mistakenly sent only to EU nationals.

But there's plenty of other reasons to be embarrassed to be English these days. This is just another of them.

bobd22

It does seem to be fair, to be a misunderstanding over a form the lady submitted and confusion over employment ? Something to do with a comment re university of Helsinki and whoever checked the form submitted challenging the fact that as such she wasn't employed in UK. Seems odd as married to UK citizen. She was sent a letter informing her of this fact but says herself as it didn't in that letter say she had to leave the country after speaking with husband and friends she ignored the letter, which was followed up by a deportation letter. So the whole thing seems a total mess yes but the lady concerned didn't help herself by ignoring initial rejection letter. My view is with Brexit this has been jumped on by the media to stir things up. Reality if no Brexit it would be a non story.
As for being embarrassed to be English I aren't I didn't vote Brexit, I have no issue with EU citizens in UK legally, I am not racist and when in Spain or other countries follow the rule of the law. I prefer to be judged on my own standards/behaviour not that of people I don't know.

Lincoln45

I'm not embarrassed to be English. What I'm embarrassed about is the behaviour of the media and the politicians, and not just our politicians. The politicians are acting like spoilt brats, who are having their toys taking away from them. And I have come to the conclusion that most of our MPs do not have a clue how the EU works. As for the media, I wish they would stop printing these headlines stories with out the facts behind them.

I'm glad to see that you did not work for one our quality Toilet Newspapers.

amideislas

There were always the common stereotypes of the English; Arrogant, ignorant, hypocritical, isolated... But they were always water off the duck's back. Nobody really painted the entire English (or British) population that way.

But the rhetoric leading up to Brexit changed all that. And what's happened after has only made it worse. It's been the very exemplification of all those old stereotypes, screamed as loudly as it could. To the outside observer, it couldn't be more clear. But on the inside, it's as if many Brits are completely unconscious of it (a la Catherine Bowen), and that just magnifies the "isolated" part of the stereotype.

And as I said before, the view from this side of the channel is one of pity, really. "English? Oh, erm, yes, well, sorry about your country". So if you live outside Britain (and not in a Brits abroad expat enclave), it can be rather embarrassing, until people get to know you.

And like the Trump phenomenon, nary a day goes by that some new embarrassment shows up. I expected that to end by now... but I'm beginning to have my doubts.

rspltd

I really think that someone who purports to represent the views 'this side of the channel' (which channel is that then) and in reality lives in the Med and on an island is very limited in obtaining views from anyone. I suspect most of the views (and information) come from the toilet press and are represented as reality.

EMR

I take it you mean the toilet press that lead the brexit campaign full of misinformation and prejudice, appealing to the lowest common denominator in UK society.

MikeJ

Apparently the French are quite upset about Brexit. While we were in then we were the awkward squad that everybody in the EU ganged up against. Now that the remaining 27 don't have a common scapegoat to keep them focused they will begin falling out with each other. We may have been the grit in the oyster but we were also the glue that held it all together!

EMR

Another forecaster of an EU falling apart.
We have been listening to the same rubbish for years.
Still going strong and economically now outdoing the UK.

MikeJ

IT WAS A JOKE! That's why it had a ROFL