A British exit for Europe is not just bad news for our Country it is potentially devastating for all those Brits who have taken advantage of the One Europe approach to life.

The position of British citizens living in Spain would undoubtedly be adversely affected by a Brexit. Reciprocal healthcare is the most obvious immediate issue (and a source of real concern for large numbers of elderly British citizens who are, or will be, reliant on Spanish health and social care). Of course every visitor to the EU using the EHIC card to obtain emergency treatment will be similarly vulnerable – unless or until the post-Brexit government negotiated a replacement system. From my own personal experience travelling on business or on holiday in Europe I know the EHIC system works very well.

Because of the uncertainty caused by the Conservatives there are many Brits currently holding Spanish residency status who are considering their position, since many OAPs would struggle to fund their own healthcare in the Spanish insurance-based system. And have the Conservative government given any thought to what would happen here if 1 million plus OAPS currently resident in Spain all landed back in the UK and on the NHS.

Working age people have other potential problems. As EU citizens, Brits working in Spain know their children are entitled to free education in the State system.

Further potential problems for the Brits in Spain include (a) any UK government pensions won’t be uprated annually after a Brexit – as already happens with e.g. Canadian pension holders (b) non-EU citizens have less beneficial regulations over a range of matters, including buying and selling property, remitting the proceeds etc.

As far as I’ve seen the LEAVE campaign has not made any attempt to address the above matters, never mind Europe-wide opportunities such as the highly advantageous ERASMUS scheme which over the years has been such a success for thousands of British students.