Lenox

You are a Brit living in Spain (for the sake of argument)
Are you a European?

EsuriJohn

If you were brit living in UK you would be a European. If you were a brit living in South America you would be a European.

Gt Britian is in Europe therefor you are European

jdr

If you live in Spain does that make you a Schengen European or are you still a Brit non Schengen European ? ;-))

lcortez

You bleedin contentious git!
I'd say you were a Schengen European

Mitzyboy

Well of course

Wheres this going?

lcortez

Whats your position,Lenox?
Further to the question,if GB left the EU tomorrow,who would stay on in Spain,(or the EU generally)?

treskillard

Surely most Brits living in Spain are Brits living in Spain although a minority might be Europeans - I would guess that there might be more Europeans living in somewhere far away where Europe had more value - America maybe but most would still be Brits.

crispy

I would be British no matter where I lived, It's not like a tap you can't turn it on and off when you feel like it.

Same Difference

Down the pan love.........down the pan!!!

crispy

feeling a bit flushed tonight are we.

Lenox

For me, there are several points.
As a British passport holder domiciled in Spain, I can't vote in national or regional elections - or in referendums - in either country. Despite being 'a European'.
Second - my wife is American. She can't 'become a European' by getting 'a European passport', because there is no such thing. she could become British, but would have to live there for seven years. She could become Spanish - but only through her own devices. Of course - it's not worth the hassle.
In American terms, a Californian in New York becomes 'a New Yorker'.
There are a few fundamental differences of course, between the USA and the United States of Europe.
No one trusts any other country's politicians (and yet, we don't trust our own ones either).
The language barrier, which small groups like the Welsh and the Catalonians are keen to exagerate.
Indeed - if Britain pulled out - those of us who live in Spain would get fresh problems: more complications for IDs, work permits (!), probably health insurance issues and so on.
Does anyone from the UK, or from Spain, actually represent or protect the one million Brits living here?
Do we have 'European' rights or 'second class rights' living here?
Are our bi-lingual children born here true Europeans?

Just some points for debate!

jurdyr

you be a British European , i am Spanish Irish European ( after what ireland did last thr , the no vote to the Lisbon Treaty .....
thanks god i am Spanish

EsuriJohn

If you need to carry a passport everywhere you are definitley a non - Schengen European!

EsuriJohn

It's a question of "Domicile"

Fred James

Quite right and domicile has little to do with where you live.

To lose your UK domicile is extremely difficult as the UK still want to cane you on certain taxes like IHT which depend on domicile, not on tax residency.

As for British Citizenship, that is impossible to lose if you were born with it. Even if you renounce it, as you have to do to obtain Spanish citizenship, the UK refuse to accept the renunciation.