Manley, visiting the authorities in Majorca and Ibiza, was accompanied by the Consul General, Lloyd Milen, and the Vice-Consul to the Balearics, Lucy Gorman, during the interview at the Bulletin offices in Palma and he spoke confidently about a UK out of the EU.
He admitted that he fully understands that certain sections of the British community in Spain are concerned about what may happen but he made it clear that the British Embassy and Consular service in Spain, the largest network the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has in the world, is doing everything it can to make sure that the UK, and Spain, get the best deal. "One has to remember that, while there are a sizeable number of Britons living in Spain, the Spanish community in the UK is very large and is continuing to grow, so we need to come up with solid solutions which are going to be in everybody’s interests.
"What we have welcomed is that associations and groups have been set up by Britons wanting to either defend their rights or just share their concerns because, more often than not, they are coming to us and quite often they are raising issues that we are not aware of.
"So, this is a great way for us to tap in to what Britons are really thinking and use that feedback to inform the British government, the new ministry in charge of leaving Europe and of course, the FCO, about what the real concerns of the British community are.
"We can in fact gather more information from these groups than at any of the many forums we have been holding around the country, so this is proving very positive. But a complex process lies ahead of us and we’re working in the best interests of every one."
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This always makes me laugh out loud. Lets put this straight, most Spaniards in the UK are young, mostly in London and are their to work (not the disgusting weather) and hence pay taxes. Most Brits in places like the Costa Del Sol are old, live in a dirt cheap apartment, have a low cost of living and sponge off the Spanish healthcare system (I acknowledge Mallorca is different). Unfortunately for these people (who by the way would have a massive reduction in quality of life in UK) the reality is yhey havd to reap what theif compatriats have sown. It was old people (75/25%, young people were the opposite) who voted to leave Europe. So now those old people living in Southern Spain should accept the consequences and decamp back to Rotherham and the like!!