Ealing MPs Support Rights of EU Citizens

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Local representatives sign pledge urging PM to protect those already here

Rupa Huq with EU nationals from Ealing and Acton

Ealing MPs have vowed to support the rights of EU citizens to remain in the UK after Brexit.

Virendra Sharma, Labour member for Southall and Rupa Huq who represents Ealing Central and Acton signed a pledge and gave their backing at a mass lobby of Parliament.

Mr Sharma said, ''I believe workers from across Europe play a vital role in our public services, especially in the NHS and social care. There are currently around 55,000 EU nationals working in the NHS and 84,000 working in social care in England alone. These services would not be able to survive without these people.”

Ms Huq welcomed a group of EU nationals to Parliament and Wiktor Moszczynski of Ealing Common and Polish descent said, ''Some may want to return home or travel to another EU country and the UK government should at least give them the freedom to make such a choice.” He added “they (and any children born in the UK) should be granted special status to retain the same rights as they enjoyed until now including the right to work, to usual benefits, access to NHS and social services and the right to vote in local and regional elections.”

Ms Huq said: ''Some of these people are long existing residents of the UK, they and their families deserve better than years of uncertainty and being reduced to bargaining chips in the upcoming negotiations. The Government must reconsider their stance on this important issue and unilaterally grants the Right to Remain for EU citizens before the process of Brexit negotiations begins.”

According to the 2011 census 18.5% or 22,093 of the population of Ealing Central and Acton hold EU passports other than UK ones.

February 28th 2017