Four years after the UK officially left the European Union, you can still be taken aback reading about Brexit’s self-defeating, if sometimes unintended, consequences. A Spanish woman was detained at Luton airport and denied re-entry after a Christmas visit to Spain, even though she had been living and working in the UK with her family for years. A French woman, married to a British citizen, had to give up her job after an apparent paperwork mix-up.

Trapped in the grey area of backlog and conflicting rules, like tens of thousands of EU citizens after Brexit, these cases are a recurring tale in post-Brexit Europe. Asked by the Guardian about the plight of the Spanish woman, the Home Office response parroted generic lines: “Border Force’s number one priority is to keep our borders safe and secure, and we will never compromise on this,” a spokesperson said.

How does detaining a 34-year-old veterinary nursing apprentice living with her husband and in-laws in Bedfordshire, returning home after a trip to meet her sister’s baby, and in possession of a UK government document stating her right to work, contribute to “safe and secure”........

© The Guardian