The question of who must go and who can stay in the UK and what will happen to the British ex-pats in Europe when Brexit eventually happens is still, to some extent, hanging in the air. The government has published guidelines to its European Settlement Scheme, outlining who can apply, the requirements that must be met, how to apply, how the process will work, which other family members will be eligible and what status the European Settlement Scheme will confer. There is a possibility that the prime minister may take a unilateral approach and offer EU migrants all their existing rights including access to the NHS and the benefits system regardless of whether there is a reciprocal arrangement from the European countries. However, this would not be a gesture of benevolence; such an offer would be made to ensure that Britain retains the labour and expertise it relies on.
London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, is keen to reassure UK-resident Europeans that they are welcome and wanted in the capital. Pro-brexit MP Jacob Rees-Mogg supports the idea that an offer of remaining in the UK without a reciprocal arrangement from the Europeans is acceptable. However, former Brexit minister David Jones most certainly does not agree, stating in the Times today, "It's got to be reciprocal. We have a large number of Britons in the EU and their interests have got to be reflected. We have got to look after our own people."
The captains of industry are sharply divided on whether Brexit is a good or bad thing. Tim Martin, founder of Wetherspoons pub chain, is a firm supporter of Brexit, he has already started replacing EU sourced drinks with other alternatives. He believes that the main benefits of Brexit are the avoidance of vast financial contributions to the EU, the elimination of tariffs and the reacquisition of fishing rights. Whereas Julian Dunkerton, who rose from market trader to co-found Superdry, has a very different view. His million pound donation to the People's Vote campaign, which he sees as an opportunity to turn round the Brexit decision by forcing a second referendum, will provide the funding for a "polling blitz" which it is hoped will create the momentum to sway a sufficiently large number of people to demand a final say. Mr. Dunkerton stated in the Observer: "If Brexit had happened 20 years earlier, Superdry would never have become the global success that it did. We would have struggled to cope with negotiating customs and tariffs. Perhaps even more importantly, Europe was our staging post because inside the single market we had no fear of opening a store in France, Germany, Belgium or anywhere else". He also commented: "It's becoming clear there is no vision for Brexit and the politicians have made a mess of it". A sentiment that is difficult to counter.
The government has reassured European immigrants that they do not need to take any action at the moment as, whilst the UK is still in the EU, their status is secure. With Brexit a mere seven months away and no deal in sight, it is no surprise that European nationals are going home and not very many of them are choosing to come and live in the UK. The skills gap is widening, the Institute for Public Policy Research found that there were 226,000 "skills shortage vacancies" in 2017 as opposed to just 91,000 in 2011 and British businesses are reducing their training budgets. The government may not have a too many choices.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
