Jason Moore15/10/2016 00:00
TW
4

There has always been a big divide between British citizens living abroad and those back in the United Kingdom. UK-based Brits have little sympathy for what they call "gin and tonic drinking expats". In fact, when I asked a senior British politician once about cold weather payments for British pensioners living in Spain, he dismissed the claim saying: "Next they will want help with their air conditioning bill." He was joking but only just.

One of the reasons why "Brits abroad" enjoy so few privileges from the British government is because there is no or little sympathy; you left the UK, well you can now get on with it appears to be the attitude from some. This is a rather sad state of affairs because I would say that British residents overseas have shown plenty of courage in making the move and deserve credit rather than criticism. But I suppose you could say that I am biased.

This split appears to have become even bigger since the EU referendum result. Many British residents on the island are still in shock; they can't believe that Britain would want to leave the EU and divorce their neighbours. It is understandable, British expats have more to lose than their counterparts in Britain. If you walk into any expat bar on the island the talk is mixed: how to take out Spanish nationality or why Britain should be stemming the tide of immigration. I find this state of affairs rather laughable when you take into account that we are also immigrants.

The fall in the value of the pound will hit us hard; tourism will fall if sterling continues its downward trend and British pensioners will have less to spend. It is a shame that we can't have the option of staying and enjoying the benefits of the EU even though Britain has left. It would be the best of both worlds. I sincerely doubt that the EU is going to be so kind, but we are in need and we do need help.