"The date – 29 March – was certainly memorable. On the same day that Prime Minister Theresa May initiated Britain’s exit from the EU, our event in York debated the welfare and rights of those EU citizens already here in the UK. It was clear that many participants in our event were concerned with the treatment of EU migrants under the current rules and practice: so what would the future hold?
First, how did we get to the current situation? Two of our speakers presented fascinating and varied analyses of last June’s Brexit vote. Dave Innes from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation linked the ‘leave’ result to the geography of poverty and low qualifications. The referendum highlighted social and economic divides that need to be healed, he said.
Dr Sofia Vasilopoulou offered a contrasting view, suggesting different issues were important for leave or remain voters. And there are nuances. Across Europe, she noted, a significant minority of citizens may potentially favour a vote to leave the EU in the future. But a strong majority are in favour of ‘the free movement of EU citizens who can live, work, study and do business anywhere in the EU’."