‘I want to continue to live in Britain, as well as the EU’

The British elections are taking place tomorrow and as an Irish person living here, I am holding my breath.

My husband and I emigrated to the UK ten years ago and have spent the last six of those developing our young son’s sense of Irish identity so he may feel as Irish as his extended family still living on the Emerald Isle. He already has a deep-rooted patriotism for a country he has never lived in. Other than a pronounced English accent, he is as Irish as he would be having grown up in Ireland.

Our friends here in England are a mix of nationalities, all intent on providing a cultural knowledge of their native country for their kids while embracing their new home. We have never been treated like immigrants and enjoy the same freedoms as British citizens, including the right to vote in tomorrow’s election.

In the midst of all the endless promises by campaigning politicians of tax breaks and independence from the EU, I opened my door one morning recently to have a conversation that has since made me question my sense of “belonging” here in the UK.

On the doorstep stood a member of the UK Independence Party (Ukip). I felt my life as an Irishwoman and legal resident of the UK was being questioned; not only my right to be here but also the right to be treated the same as any British person paying into the same tax system that I do.

Because all three of our passports state that we are Irish and European Union members, we are British residents not citizens. Under UK law, we could only become British if we relinquished our Irish citizenship. With freedom to travel and our rights here as EU members, we have never had to consider this.

The Ukip member at my door that day daringly chose to outline some of the party's 2015 manifesto, which focuses on reducing the number of immigrants setting up a home in Britain by preventing access to key services such as healthcare (Nigel Farage went so far as to openly state during a leaders' debate that the National Health Service should not assist foreigners with HIV treatment).

The woman moved on discuss how non-British would not be able to privately educate their children until they had lived here for more than five years. When I asked why this would be necessary, I was met with a barrage of the pitfalls of state-funded schools. The conversation ended and the door was closed when I told her in the thickest Irish accent I could muster than I was not only an immigrant but a teacher as well as a voter in this election.

In a world run by Ukip, Britain would cancel their membership of the EU “club” and immigrants would receive a poorer standard of living than their British counterparts (at least until they have paid tax for five years). The Conservative Party (Tories) also support the possibility of leaving the EU, although unlike Ukip, accept that Britain relies upon its immigrants to contribute to the wealth of the country.

Although born, raised and now educated in Britain, my son would therefore be penalised for his nationality when incidentally, at the time of his birth here in 2008, both parents as Irish citizens were not entitled to give him any nationality other than Irish regardless of the location of his birth.

On the eve of election day, I suspect we are not the only immigrant family concerned about the possibility of living in a country no longer a member of the EU, and one which is happy to accept our tax payments but unhappy for us to access healthcare that our British tax-paying neighbours can.

Family members in Ireland have questioned how easy it would be to travel to Britain for leisure (or work) if it is no longer a EU member state, and equally, to our own right to remain should right-wing parties come to power, potentially in a coalition together.

And while Ukip has emphatically denied claims of its former party members that it intends to deny current residents their right to remain, it has not addressed its stance on access to infrastructure for current immigrants. In the meantime, we will continue to nurture our son’s fighting Irish spirit, as it is possible that his future and ours may be an uncertain one here.