Key facts
- A leading Swedish opposition party, the Centre party, has promised to address the deportation of British nationals facing removal due to Brexit administrative issues.
- The party's migration spokesperson, Niels Paarup-Petersen, stated that if they form a new government, they will reopen application processes for British citizens.
- The announcement comes amid several controversial cases of British citizens who have lived in Sweden for decades but are now facing deportation.
- One case involves a 78-year-old widow, Joyce Thomas, who has been told to leave the country.
- Another case is of John Sellers, who was deported in January despite living in Sweden since childhood.
- The Centre party is part of a centre-left coalition projected to win the upcoming general election.
A leading Swedish opposition party has pledged to address the plight of British nationals facing deportation from Sweden due to administrative issues stemming from Brexit. Niels Paarup-Petersen, the migration spokesperson for the Centre party, stated that if his party forms a new government following the upcoming general election, they will introduce legislation to allow British citizens to reapply to stay in the country.
This promise comes amid growing controversy over several cases of British citizens who have lived in Sweden for decades but are now being ordered to leave. One such individual is 78-year-old Joyce Thomas, a widow who has resided in Sweden for 21 years and has been told to leave by next Wednesday. Another case highlighted is that of John Sellers, who was deported in January despite having lived in Sweden since he was 10 years old. George Mason, 74, who has dementia and requires round-the-clock care, also faces deportation after 25 years in the country.
Paarup-Petersen described the current government's approach as 'appalling' and lacking 'humanity,' attributing the strictness to a broader hardline stance on immigration. He noted that many affected individuals were unaware of application deadlines. The Centre party is part of a centre-left coalition that recent polls suggest is on track to unseat the current centre-right government in the election scheduled for next Sunday.
UK Liberal Democrat MP Al Pinkerton has called on Andy Burnham to intervene in these cases, emphasizing the 'human cost of Brexit' and urging Downing Street to ensure the protections promised to British citizens under the withdrawal agreement are being honored. The controversy has been described as 'damaging' to UK-Sweden relations by the Left party.