This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/11/your-opinions-brexit-vote-farmers-eu-nationals-uk

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Your opinions: what the Brexit vote means for farmers and EU nationals in the UK Your opinions: what the Brexit vote means for farmers and EU nationals in the UK
(35 minutes later)
Welcome to our space – open every Wednesday from 10am to 2pm – for discussing the day’s Opinion articles. We’d like to begin today with two articles on Brexit.Welcome to our space – open every Wednesday from 10am to 2pm – for discussing the day’s Opinion articles. We’d like to begin today with two articles on Brexit.
First up is George Monbiot on the referendum result’s impact on the British countryside. He argues that removing the dependency on European money will be painful for rural Britain, but it could be just what our wildlife and agriculture need. Monbiot writes:First up is George Monbiot on the referendum result’s impact on the British countryside. He argues that removing the dependency on European money will be painful for rural Britain, but it could be just what our wildlife and agriculture need. Monbiot writes:
European measures protecting the natural world, such as the habitats and birds directives, are likely to become zombie legislation in the UK after Brexit, as the institutions required to enforce them will no longer exist. With Andrea Leadsom in charge of farming and Liam Fox in charge of trade, everything could go. Both farmers and conservationists should fiercely resist these outcomes.European measures protecting the natural world, such as the habitats and birds directives, are likely to become zombie legislation in the UK after Brexit, as the institutions required to enforce them will no longer exist. With Andrea Leadsom in charge of farming and Liam Fox in charge of trade, everything could go. Both farmers and conservationists should fiercely resist these outcomes.
The only fair way of resolving this incipient crisis is to continue to provide public money, but only for the delivery of public goods – such as restoring ecosystems, preventing flooding downstream, and bringing children and adults back into contact with the living world. This should be accompanied by rules strong enough to ensure that farmers can no longer pollute our rivers, strip the soil from the land, wipe out pollinators and other wildlife, and destroy the features of the countryside with impunity.The only fair way of resolving this incipient crisis is to continue to provide public money, but only for the delivery of public goods – such as restoring ecosystems, preventing flooding downstream, and bringing children and adults back into contact with the living world. This should be accompanied by rules strong enough to ensure that farmers can no longer pollute our rivers, strip the soil from the land, wipe out pollinators and other wildlife, and destroy the features of the countryside with impunity.
Read the full article here.Read the full article here.
What do you think? Are you a farmer? What are your worries? What needs to be done to ensure the sector and our wildlife are protected?What do you think? Are you a farmer? What are your worries? What needs to be done to ensure the sector and our wildlife are protected?
Elsewhere Nesrine Malik talks about the impact of the Brexit vote on European Union nationals in the UK. Malik argues that they are discovering that the Home Office is driven not by reason but by keeping numbers down. She writes:Elsewhere Nesrine Malik talks about the impact of the Brexit vote on European Union nationals in the UK. Malik argues that they are discovering that the Home Office is driven not by reason but by keeping numbers down. She writes:
The Home Office in particular, and the immigration system in general, has long made decisions not on the basis of merit or reason, but as a way of filtering out as many applicants as possible – either via exhaustion of resources or impossibly high barriers. This is why EU citizens who have lived here for decades, and are now applying for UK citizenship but neglect to include their passports (not actually a requirement, but a handy excuse familiar to anyone who has dealt with the Home Office), are not only having their applications rejected, they’re being told to prepare to leave the UK, despite already being entitled to permanent residency.The Home Office in particular, and the immigration system in general, has long made decisions not on the basis of merit or reason, but as a way of filtering out as many applicants as possible – either via exhaustion of resources or impossibly high barriers. This is why EU citizens who have lived here for decades, and are now applying for UK citizenship but neglect to include their passports (not actually a requirement, but a handy excuse familiar to anyone who has dealt with the Home Office), are not only having their applications rejected, they’re being told to prepare to leave the UK, despite already being entitled to permanent residency.
Read the full article hereRead the full article here
What do you think? Do you think we’re treating EU nationals badly? What should we be doing? Do you have any personal stories to share?What do you think? Do you think we’re treating EU nationals badly? What should we be doing? Do you have any personal stories to share?
Nesrine Malik will join us below the line to discuss this article at 11.40am.
This page will be updated throughout the morning with new articles for discussion. Get involved below the line now.This page will be updated throughout the morning with new articles for discussion. Get involved below the line now.