Dear fellow EU citizen,
I know it’s a very difficult time for all of us due to coronavirus, but history doesn't wait and together, we have the opportunity to help secure our future as EU citizens living in the UK now.
Last year, the Government discriminated against EU citizens at the local elections, denying thousands of us a vote.
We successfully fundraised to put together the strongest legal team possible (the same lawyers won the Gina Miller case, forcing the Government to enable Parliament to scrutinise the Brexit bills) and we have now been granted a hearing in the High Court.
The government has denied any wrongdoing. Therefore, we need to raise an additional £60,000 to take the case forward and we are launching a new fundraiser today. That is a lot of money, but our legal team are experts in the field and they are confident we have a strong case to win
This is not just about the fundamental right to vote in a democracy, it is about putting in case law the principle that it is unlawful to discriminate against EU citizens, regardless of the matter. At present, EU citizens are not seen as 'a group', enabling the Government to do as they please.
John Halford, partner at Bindmans LLP is one of the lawyers working on the case. He said:
"The #DeniedMyVote test case asks the High Court to rule that last year's disenfranchisement was unlawful and establish a precedent that discrimination against EU citizens as a group is as unlawful as it is unacceptable in a democracy"
So today, I am asking you to do the following:
- Please donate on our CrowdJustice page if you can afford it, so our future can be secured by case law, against present and future discrimination
- Please share this email with your friends and family to increase the number of people who knows about the case and help us raise the money we need
- Follow us on social media if you are there and amplify our campaign (Facebook Twitter Instagram)
In other news, we are lobbying hard as Parliament is in session. We received some unlikely support from Michael Gove who said during the Lords Select Committee that there was a strong moral and social case for physical proof of status for EU citizens and that he will convey this back to the Government. See our tweet relaying the information here.
We were also pleased that the Government is listening to the3million regarding the thorny issue of continuity of residence for Settled Status applications due to the coronavirus health emergency. We raised it with the Home Affairs Committee at the end of last month and the Home Office confirmed to us in private they won't use it against applicants. New guidance will be published within two weeks. Watch this space!
Regarding the difficult issue of pre-Settled Status holders being denied access to benefits and refused Universal Credit, our letter to the UK Government and the European Commission hasn't gone unnoticed. The fact it could be in breach of the Withdrawal Agreement has created some unease at European level and MEPs have written to the UK Government to explain their position:
Finally, we are continuing our campaign on social media to say EU citizens are #RightThereWithYou. If you want to feature in the campaign showing our positive contribution, please reply to this email.
Kindest European regards,
Nicolas
Nicolas Hatton, CEO of the3million
More information at www.the3million.org.uk
We are living in turbulent times. While you are in lockdown and/or working on the frontline as a key worker, we are continuing to fight for our citizens' rights and we must not lose momentum now. Please support our vital work.
Join our 600-strong team of regular donors today. In 2020, we will continue to campaign to stop the Government making hundreds of thousands EU citizens unlawful in 2021, to secure physical documents, to maintain voting rights at local elections and to ease our access to British citizenship.
We simply couldn't do it without you and you can make a difference by becoming a supporter for the price of a cup of coffee a month.
WE ARE #RIGHTTHEREFORYOU
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WEBINAR ON RIGHTS AND REPRESENTATION
the3million is launching a research report on young Europeans on Wednesday 20 May, 5.30 – 8pm.
We will present the results of our research on young European migrants’ experiences of settlement in the UK, access to citizenship and political engagement.
A brief presentation of the report by Alexandra Bulat (Chair of Young Europeans at the3million) will be followed by two discussion panels involving young Europeans who worked on the project, politicians and representatives of key organisations working on youth, settlement and citizenship issues. Throughout the event, you will have plenty of opportunities to ask questions and express your views on young European issues. You'll also be able to participate in live polling!
A full programme will be sent to you a week before the event.
This event is registration only. Please register for the event using this Zoom registration form: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqc-irqjwpH9J4cw24sF6DhqS1raW_bhjX
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