Thread by @TanjaBueltmann

Ok, folks: let’s talk a bit of shop as this is really getting rather upsetting now. The situation of us 3.7 million EU27 citizens in UK is *not* the same as that of Britons here. Yes, we are all EU citizens at this point. But the issues are not the same. Please respect that. 1/

*All* of us EU27 citizens, under the *best case* scenario have to:
- Apply so we can stay in our own home.
- Undergo a criminal records check even though we are here legally, with children 10 years + to be matched against government watch lists.
- Pay for all this. 2/

System for that:
- Will work only on Android phones. What other application routes will look like remains unclear.
- Won’t be fully developed for some time (only being trialled for the first time next month).
- Would have to be able to cope with 1000s of applications a day. 3/

If, miraculously, that all works, we will:
- Lose rights in our home.
- Get a *special* ID number for a *special* register only for us, which will be used to check our status in future through a *special* online system only for us.
Think that’s doesn’t sound so bad? 4/

Picture landlord wanting to rent a flat.
British person: standard checks.
Non-EU immigrant: above plus immigration >> look at visa.
EU27 citizen *already at home* in the UK: above >> use special ID no and go online to portal to enter it for checking against special register. 5/

You tell me: all else being equal, who is least likely to get the flat? 6/

At this point let me remind you: all of the above is the *best case* scenario. The *worst case* is not getting the new so-called settled status. Remember: it’s an *application process*, not a registration. Applications can be rejected, and given remaining issues, some will be. 7/

And then there is still also the *catastrophic case* of no deal, at which point agreements from the Withdrawal Agreement become void. As was just confirmed, everything would then be up in the air again. That is *in addition* to the general disasters no deal would bring. 8/

I have explained all of this before. In doing so I have always stressed that I fight for all EU citizens to keep the same rights, so that of course includes Britons in the UK. But there are *specific immediate* threats that, in the UK, only EU27 citizens are faced with. 9/

Recognising those, respecting those, does not lessen the case for protecting citizens’ rights for all. But it is an important statement of solidarity with us EU27 citizens to do so. So I hope you will indeed recognise and respect ... 10/

... so that next time you think about tweeting “but there are 66 million EU citizens in the UK and we are all affected” in response to something about the immediate specific threats EU27 citizens in the UK are faced with, you will take a moment and think again. 11/

Next time you think about disrupting the only direct communication line between the Home Office and EU27 citizens in the UK, you will take a moment and think again. 12/

Next time you think about undermining the planned trial for settled status, you will take a moment and think again. 13/

Next time you think about dismissing an activity in support of EU27 citizens’ rights just because you don’t quite like it, you will take a moment and think again. 14/

Next time you think about any of the above ... you will choose to become an #EUcitizensChampion instead. gofundme.com/eucitizenscham… 15/15

I encourage those taking issue with tweet 5 to read this — obviously nothing in here yet re: EU27 citizens and settled status, but helpful for context. gov.uk/government/pub…