Brian Cave,
le Fourquet, 46300, Gourdon, France
Tel: (0033)(0) 5 65 41 42 69
Web page -
8th June 2009
Yvette Cooper, Minister for Works and Pensions,
Caxton House,
Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9DA.
Dear Ms Cooper,
It is appropriate to draw to your attention some aspects of the political philosophy concerning the relationship between Britain, Europe and the British citizen within Europe.
To keep this letter brief, I refer you to the blog site, .
This blog site has achieved a considerable following since its inception last Christmas 2008, not least amongst French and German media outlets.
In the blog site if you link onto the heading CONCERN 1, you will be able to read a fuller exposition of the nature of this debate.
The core concern is the treatment of the elderly, the disadvantaged, and the disabled, in their movement from Britain into the wider Europe. I, and others with whom I am associated, have received various letters of concern. You need to consult with the Minister for Europe in developing an appropriate attitude towards these British citizens who deserve the support of the Labour Administration, an administration which purports to support the needy and the pensioner, but dismally fails.
1. With regard to the European perspective the Government most clearly contravenes European Law, in not paying to the expatriate benefits (DLA, AA, CA) once acquired whilst resident in the UK.
This is the matter which you should most immediately correct.
2. With regard to the Winter Fuel Payment it is utterly disgraceful that some of the most elderly who retired to the wider Europe before 1998 are denied this payment. The attitude expressed by the British Government on this is utterly disgraceful and shameful. The blog site again has an exposure of this situation. This stance underlines the outdated philosophy of the British Government towards Europe.
I now return to the philosophy of Europe and Britain’s role within Europe.
You will be conscious of the concept of ‘freedom of movement’ within Europe. Consider now the elderly or perhaps chronically ill or disabled person. They perceive lands across the channel, where there is more space, a gentler culture than in Britain, less traffic, less rush, less noise, less pollution. They can (or could till recently!) exchange a tiny house in Britain for perhaps a small property in a French village and live a gentle life. The concept of Europe gave them encouragement to make the move and assumed that the British Government would be a support to them. The more elderly perceived the coming of a unified currency, which of course, the Government denied them, thus further creating hardship in the last eighteen months.
Their motivation is no different than that of the retired or disabled person seeking to spend their last years in Bournemouth in the 1930’s.
Sadly HM Government denies them much of the support which they otherwise would have enjoyed in the UK.
Freedom of movement should mean just that! The elderly, the disabled, should not be financially disadvantaged because of a desire to move to the continent.
3. Is it not reasonable in this European age, taking on board the changing philosophy of the political scene in Europe, to see Europe as an appropriate place to which to retire, without financial constraints imposed by the Government of Britain?
The Government deprives them of benefits, eventually removes the power of voting, and frankly gives no support to the justifiable complaints we raise.
These snubs to the British citizen goes through and through the current Government Administration and its civil service. The previous Minister for Europe (Caroline Flint) ignored my correspondence, the Tax Treaty team does not understand the law (The Double Taxation Convention) on taxation and also does not support the citizen. All is disclosed on the blog site, which covers four Concerns,
A. One. The aspects of Freedom of Movement outlined above.
B. Two. The Electoral situation
C. Three. The problems arising from the Double Taxation Convention with France
D. Four. The fluctuation in value of the £. i.e. lack of balance with the Euro.
I request that you consider the three statements firstly numbered and give a considered response to all.