Campaign groups slamming Lawson for hypocrisy and elitism

Enraged anti Brexit campaign groups are slamming Lord Lawson for his comments about his carte de sejour application.

Campaigners for British expats’ post-Brexit rights are up in arms and attacking Lord Lawson, calling his blasé comments about his carte de jour application ‘hypocritical’ and ‘out of touch with reality’. His lordship, a former chairperson of the Leave campaign, lives in Gers and is now perhaps the most unpopular British expat in the whole of France for his stance on his countrymen’s rights to exercise freedom of movement post-Brexit as well as his statement that the Irish border issue isn’t a real problem.

He’s convinced all rights now available to Britons in France will continue to exist after Brexit kicks in, although he may have difficulty finding any other British expat who agrees with him. Brexpats- Hear Our Voice group chairperson Jan Glover’s take is that he’s a right to apply for a residency card, but is a total hypocrite as regards his blasé attitude to the issue – a stance she described as ‘beyond printable words’. She adds his Lordship has exercised his right to free movement, headed up a campaign aimed at removing it and is now trivialising his carte de sejour application as ‘tiresome’. Many other expats, she said, are finding it expensive, stressful and time-consuming.

Chair of Liberal Democrats in France Paul Fisher referred to Lawson as a wealthy elitist with no comprehension of ordinary peoples’ concerns, adding his stance reinforces expats’ views that parliament has simply ignored and abandoned the British in France. Chris Chantry, chair of the British Community Committee in France told reporters he was amazed at how ill-informed a former British cabinet minister is about what’s required to ensure a result for British expats.

BHOV founder Debbie Williams is accusing Lawson of ‘muddying the water’ and failing to see the difference between EU-style freedom of movement and the immigration hassles endured by non-EU citizens. She’s called his stance insulting to thousands of Britons in Europe, especially those long-stay expats who were disenfranchised from voting for their own futures. International media outlets seem to have taken the same stance as the campaign groups and are underlining Lawson’s hypocrisy, and social media is having a field day on the subject.