Martin Horwood MEP speaks out on citizens’ rights post-Brexit

I had the chance to speak up for citizens’ rights in ⁦the European Parliament⁩ this week. I paid tribute to ⁦Guy Verhofstadt⁩ for his focus on EU27 citizens’ rights in the UK & the rights of Brits in the EU.

Plus a surprising model for EU associate individual citizenship…

I have told many constituents that I share their wish to find a solution that will allow UK citizens to retain their EU citizenship on an individual basis, and fully support associate EU citizenship as a possible course of action.

Liberal Democrat MEPs sit with the Renew Europe group in the European Parliament. I actively lobbied my Renew colleague, Guy Verhofstadt, the Chair of the European Parliament’s Brexit Steering Group, to keep pushing the European Commission and European Council to grant associate citizenship for UK nationals after Brexit.

As the Parliament’s lead Brexit negotiator, Guy is also responsible for drawing up a recommendation for Parliament on whether to approve or reject the Withdrawal Agreement. MEPs from all groups in Parliament are currently negotiating a motion that sets out the conditions that need to be met for Parliament to approve the Withdrawal Agreement.

Section 20 of the motion offers an opportunity to pave the way for future discussions on associate citizenship for UK citizens, which I lobbied Guy to include. The motion was still being negotiated between all the groups last week and, of course, we have to be realistic about the chances of the EU and its remaining Member States agreeing to this. But I will continue to fight hard for associate citizenship, and we asked Guy for this section to be strengthened even further if it is possible to do so. The motion for a resolution will be put to a vote in the full European Parliament this Wednesday.

Since being elected on 23 May, all 16 Liberal Democrat MEPs have worked tirelessly with MEP colleagues from Renew Europe to highlight the damage Brexit will do to the UK and to our relationship with Europe. We will continue to push for associate citizenship with the EU and will vote for it at every opportunity. We will also press for the closest possible relationship between the UK and the EU after Brexit to ensure UK citizens’ rights in the EU27 and EU27 citizens’ rights in the UK are protected.


MEPs taking on the fight for citizens rights post-Brexit

Westminster MPs may have ceased to exist for now but MEPs are still hard at work defending the rights of Brits abroad and fellow Europeans who have made their careers, homes and families in the UK.

Westminster MPs may have ceased to exist for now but MEPs are still hard at work defending the rights of Brits abroad and fellow Europeans who have made their careers, homes and families in the UK.

Of course, we wouldn’t have to worry about this if we just stop Brexit! Those rights would be guaranteed.

Let’s get back to the things that really matter – from health and social care to tackling the climate crisis.