Roma and Brexit: Report on a Joint All Party Parliamentary Group roundtable event

Over the last decade, people from Roma communities have settled in the United Kingdom (UK) as part of the broader movement of European nationals across the enlarged European Union (EU). Roma people have come to the UK with a unique set of experiences which have often been influenced by persistent exclusion and marginalisation in their countries of origin. These experiences have often shaped their settlement in this country and the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union may further exacerbate this marginalisation. To consider these issues, a special joint roundtable of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Migration and All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gypsies, Travellers and Roma was held in July 2018. This event brought together parliamentarians, civil society, public authorities and expert members of the public, including a number of Roma people, to discuss the situation of Roma in the United Kingdom against the context of Brexit. The roundtable consisted of presentations from a panel followed by questions and contributions from the audience. This report provides an overview of the key issues discussed at the event and identifies future steps which the APPGs will undertake based on the experience of Roma applying for Settled Status in the coming months.