Dear Editor,
We recently saw a welcome U-Turn from the Prime Minister who announced that the £65 fee for EU citizens’ ‘Settled Status’ applications, will be scrapped, or reimbursed to those who have already paid it.
This is the least that the Government can do after keeping EU citizens in our community in a state of uncertainty with their shambolic handling of the Brexit negotiations and their refusal to rule out a hard Brexit.
In the wake of the Windrush scandal, it is only natural that EU citizens living in London have been concerned about how they will be treated at the hands of this Government.
We must never allow anything like Windrush ever to be repeated, but there are many concerns about the Settled Status application process yet to be resolved. Worryingly, these outstanding technical and legal issues could see the most vulnerable Londoners fall through the cracks in the system.
City Hall is lending its full support to those having to face the process by introducing the EU Londoners Hub, which provides useful information and advice about living in London after Brexit. More information can be found at /programmes-strategies/business-and-economy/representing-london-brexit-talks/eu-londoners-hub
It is important now more than ever that we come together as a community and stand with our European friends and neighbours, acknowledging the vast contribution they make to our capital.
Yours,
Len Duvall AM
London Assembly Member for Greenwich and Lewisham