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‘Don’t leave me this way’ sing Britons in Spain as Brexit kicks in
JIMERA DE LIBAR, Spain, Jan 6, 2021 (AFP) – Bangers and mash, pints of
beer, a Europeans vs Britons tug-of-war and renditions of “Don’t Leave me
This Way” and “We’ll Meet Again”. UK expats in Spain marked Britain’s
departure from the European Union in true British style.
Although many are unhappy at the decision to leave, with some facing
residency and other bureaucratic problems, Britons at the Bar Allioli in the
southern village of Jimera de Libar decided to make the best of a bad job and
throw a party.
The tongue-in-cheek celebration featured a menu of all British favourites
such as fish and chips and beans on toast.
“While most of us are not altogether happy about the whole thing, we might
as well celebrate in a fashion and enjoy ourselves,” said Paul Darwent, a 65-
year-old Briton who runs the bar in the Andalusian mountains about an hour by
car from the coast.
“The reality is it is going to create a lot of problems for us all,” added
Darwent, who has lived in Spain for over two decades, in a reference to
Britain’s completion of its divorce from the European Union (EU) on December
31.
Around 370,000 Britons are registered as living in Spain — more than in
any other EU country — and thousands more are believed to be settled in the
country without ever having notified the authorities.
Many are retirees who live on Spain’s sunny southern coast, drawn by the
country’s warmer climate and lower cost of living.
Britons can keep their residency rights in Spain — as long as they
applied for residency before December 31, when Britain’s transition period
out of the EU ended. To qualify, they must have a permanent address, a local
bank account, show sufficient funds and have healthcare cover.
– ‘Very annoyed’ –
Many, however, do not meet the requirements, said Myra Azzopardi, a
paralegal and the founder of the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), a British
charity that helps expats with legal issues.
“We are going to have a lot of people who are going to end up without
residency and without any way of getting residency,” she told AFP.
Baz Rhodes, a 58-year-old paragliding guide from Manchester who has lived
in Spain for 20 years, said Brexit meant he and his wife had to take out
private health insurance at a cost of 200 euros ($245 euros) a month.
“I am very, very annoyed,” said Rhodes, who attended the party wrapped in
a EU flag.
Because of pandemic restrictions, the party was held on the bar’s outdoor
patio, which was decorated with British, Spanish and EU flags.
Separate entrances for EU and non-EU nationals were set up to enter the
bar to use washrooms.
The musical backdrop to the festivities included live performances of The
Communards’ “Don’t leave me this way” and Vera Lynn’s “We’ll meet again”.
– ‘So sad’ –
The highlight of the party was a match of tug-of-war pitting four British
men against four men from Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Spain.
Cheers and applause broke out when the EU team won, causing the British
team to tumble to the ground.
“If we don’t celebrate in some way, we would just be crying because it is
so sad,” Elaine Gilfillan, a teacher from Scotland who has lived in Spain for
nearly two decades, commented.
She said she was saddened that it is now much harder for her children to
move to Spain, like she did, or any other EU nation.
From Friday onwards, any Briton who wants to live in Spain must follow the
same procedure as for all non-EU citizens, which is more complex and
difficult, with higher income requirements.
And their professional qualifications will no longer be automatically
recognised in Spain. They will have to apply for it, with no guarantee of
success.
“We should be together. We are one continent. I think Britain will suffer
as a result. It is not good for any of us,” added Gilfillan.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1010 hrs