Surprise and shock as Conservative councillors refuse to back rights of EU citizens to stay in Woking

A Lib Dem councillor was surprised and shocked when local Conservatives refused to back her plea to support the rights of Europeans from other countries living in Woking.

Cllr. Ann-Marie Barker had asked that the Leader of the Council write to the Prime Minister supporting the right of EU citizens to stay in a post-BREXIT Woking.

"There are 12,000 Woking residents who are citizens of other European countries" points out Cllr. Barker. "Since the BREXIT vote last year these members of our local community (and Britons living in other European countries) have been in limbo. I merely requested that Cllr. Kingsbury send a letter to Theresa May supporting a group that makes up more than 1 in 10 of our local residents. I was shocked that Conservative councillors used warm words about the diversity of Woking and how people from all countries contribute to Woking but then refuse to support my request."

Cllr. Barker adds that many local residents from other EU countries and Britons living abroad did not have a vote in the EU referendum. "These are people that had no say in their future and now it seems they are to be treated not as people but as pawns in BREXIT power games" she said.

Council Leader John Kingsbury has insisted that the right to remain is government policy but when it came to real votes in the Commons last week Conservative MPs, including Woking MP Jonathan Lord, voted against when offered the opportunity to guarantee the status of EU citizens in the UK.

"I am shocked and disappointed that local Conservatives, like their MP and his Conservative colleagues in parliament, use warm words about the rights of EU citizens but when it comes to taking action they do nothing" fumed Cllr. Barker.

Liberal Democrats are standing up for an open, tolerant and united society where citizens of other EU countries feel assured of their status here and British citizens living elsewhere in Europe feel equally secure.