IF the UK does leave the EU, what will happen to UK citizens who are permanently resident in the EU countries?

It seems that over 760,000 UK citizens live in Spain. Many of these are retired, living out their lives in the sun, and because they are in receipt of a state pension, they receive health care free of charge within the Spanish health system. That arrangement would surely end with a UK exit.

Returning to the UK could be difficult; the value of their houses would very likely fall with few potential buyers. UK pensioners resident in France (of over 200,000 UK citizens in that country) would no doubt face the same problems.

As for the two million UK residents working in Spain and other EU countries, last year the Attorney General warned that if the UK decides to leave the European Union, they could become illegal immigrants overnight.

Looking more widely, what of British citizens of Gibraltar? Its chief minister said Gibraltar’s economy would face an “existential threat” if Britain left the EU; they need to maintain access to the EU’s 500-million strong single market.

Proponents of leaving the EU will say that all this can be sorted out. Maybe, but painfully and slowly.

Don Lodge, Heworth, York