13th September: Day of Action for EU citizens in the UK & British Citizens in EU

On Wednesday 13 September, citizens groups the3million and British in Europe in partnership with Another Europe is Possible (Global Justice Now), European Alternatives, Migrants Rights Network and UNISON are organising A DAY OF ACTION to celebrate the lives of the 3 million EU citizens living in the UK and the 1.2 million British citizens living in Europe.

The day of action will include an e-lobby, a mass lobby of parliament, a rally in Trafalgar Square and an open letter to the British Government and the European Union.

How to get involved?

1. The e-lobby / Mass Lobby

British in Europe and the3million are inviting you to an e-lobby / mass lobby of Parliament to give you the opportunity to make your voice heard and ask MPs to fully protect our rights after Brexit so we can stay in the countries we love. The mass lobby is a day where EU citizens and their British family and friends, along with UK voters living in other EU countries, will arrange to meet with their MP in Parliament to raise their concerns and tell their own story. We are not asking for special treatment – just that the rules of the game are not changed after the match has started. More information: https://www.the3million.org.uk/masslobby

2. The Rally

The rally will offer the opportunity for EU and UK citizens to proudly get together in this iconic British square and stand up for #citizensrights in the Brexit negotiations. We’ve invited London mayor Sadiq Khan to address the crowd, as well as NHS EU nurses, scientists, eminent brits living in Europe and citizens just like you. At 7pm, various EU London choirs will ask you to join them in singing Ode to Joy. The rally is part of a wider day of action for #citizensrights, featuring a mass lobby of the UK Parliament and the publication of an open letter to the British Government and the European Union asking to protect all existing citizens rights for our lifetime. We expect at least 5,000 people to come together in support of EU citizens in the UK and British citizens in Europe, with significant media coverage. More information: https://www.the3million.org.uk/rally

3. The Open Letter

On our Day of Action for Citizens, we will publish an open letter to the British Government and the European Union signed by businesses, public sector organisations, trade unions, universities and charities asking for citizens’ rights to be protected.

This comes after a survey of 2,000 EU citizens by consultancy firm KPMG revealed that up to 1 million EU citizens could be leaving the UK after Brexit, reducing the UK’s workforce by 3.1%, thus creating a skill gap crisis of unprecedented scale (i). ​

In order to make the maximum impact, we need as many signatories as possible and we’re asking you to contact your employer to ask the Managing Director or CEO to support the non-partisan campaign of the3million and British in Europe to protect the existing rights of EU Citizens in the UK and British Citizens in Europe. Your support is important as it would provide a much needed relief among a general feeling of not feeling welcome anymore.

More information: https://www.the3million.org.uk/open-letter