EU citizens being forced to apply to remain in the UK after Brexit are facing “unnecessary and unpleasant insecurity and anxiety”, Scotland’s Migration Minister has said.
Opening a Holyrood debate on protecting the rights of EU citizens in Scotland, Ben Macpherson criticised the current system and called for an alternative “confirming rights rather than acquiring rights through application”.
Macpherson argued the UK should scrap its two-tier application process and bring forward legislation protecting EU citizens’ rights to remain.
The UK Government’s EU settlement scheme, which can grant settled status, pre-settled status for those with less than five years’ continuous residence in the UK, or reject the application, has received more than 92,700 requests to remain from EU citizens in Scotland in seven months.
Drawing parallels between the current system and the Windrush scandal, Macpherson said: “It is completely wrong that EU citizens face potentially being dragged into the hostile environment immigration policies of the current UK Government.”
He said the current policy is leaving EU citizens “in unacceptable limbo” and wary to apply.
Macpherson added: “The UK Government is effectively creating two classes of EU citizens – people who receive settled status who will be able to stay in the UK permanently and will have their rights fully protected by law and – in stark contrast – people given only pre-settled status.
“This is concerning because this status is more precarious than settled status because it doesn’t give people a permanent right to stay here.”
“The Scottish Government has been clear for some time now that EU citizens should not have to apply to retain their right to live, work and study in this country.
“We, like many others across the UK, are deeply concerned about the consequences for those EU citizens who don’t apply by the deadline or who don’t apply at all.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here