Expats to be 'rescued' from Spain and Portugal!!!!

Interesting to hear you work in the richest country in the world, which must make it safe??? In Arabia?? I used to work in a safe country also in the Arabian Gulf .. it was called Bahrain .. now look at it. Scratch the surface and you will find that NO country in that part of the world is safe .. good luck ... hope you don´t get sunburnt at Christmas lol

It was said with a question mark....HaHa.

My mistake regarding the currency. I had just got back from Tokyo and had the Yen on my brain. Just so everyone is correct, the Chinese currency is actually called the Renminbi not the Yuan. The word means " The People's Currency." Looks like they knew what the future will be. The units are called Yuans.

I know what you meant. I was just being a facetious jerk :-)

Renminbi...??? I suppose they pronounce is Lenminbi....

See, there I go again.

Actually I did not know about the Renminbi. I guess we all refer to it as being the Yuan.

Thanks. I have learded sumfink nu 2day.

:-)

 Expats to be rescued? That brought a wry smile to my face...

Earlier this year, Joe and I were working in Bahrain, a totally 'safe' country. (Amatista, I agree with your earlier comment.) Anyway, when the troubles started and people were being killed, the British Embassy closed down, but advised us by email to get out. Britain laid on a plane to evacuate Brits.

Now, here's the bit that makes me smile. To get on that 'rescue' plane, we would have had to pay considerably more than if we flew out on ordinary flights, all of which had available seats. So the rescue plane returned to Britain empty. I wonder why???

Victoria :)

Maybe the Brit Embassy in Manama closed on advice from HM Government who had allowed the supply of riot gear to the Bahraini Security Forces. Who on earth did they think the Bahraini's were going to use it on if not their own people. No wonder they scarpered when the locals were getting a battering from their protectors. But then that is another story.....

If the tutty does hit the fan I can imagine hoards of expats wading into the sea off Puerto Banus, balancing Dunnes carrier bags on their heads, fighting to get onto HM warships. Dunkirk spirit and all that...

Fleas Navidog, wherever you are....

Totally agree with comments about Bahrain .. it was barbaric what they did to their own people, shooting them in Sulmaniya hospital, and torturing the doctors who treated injured protestors. Shocking stuff....

As for leaving Spain, I wish someone would come and rescue me (even a Disney cruise ship would be good), after 17 years here I have had enough .. and the situation is dire for many of us ...

On a cheerier note, merry merry Christmas to Eye on Spain and to all its contributers .. spending mine here in UK, and loving every minute of it

Re The UK Govt/consulates being on hand to help us in the event of a crisis (none of which I forsee thankfully - as others have pointed out.)

IMO - The UK Govt have no/little interest in us ExPats. It seems once you have left the UK you do not exist. I tried the local Consulate (Malaga) when I was the victim of a serious crime*, only to ask advice on judicial proceedures (as it states on their website they CAN help with that), but got nothing/nowhere. Even the ‘English Speaking Lawyer’ that is on their list of recommended lawyers turned out Not to have such good English after all and I got way under the compensation for my injuries that I should have done.

We pay for the Consulate/services via our Passport (which costs more than double to renew here than if you do it direct in the UK, which we are not supposed to do once we are resident here…)... But I feel (my opinion based on my own experience as I say), we get little/nothing in return.

If there is such an ‘evacuation plan’, it was probably hatched and completed in a T Break. Look at those poor buggers who were stranded when Quantas went on strike.

Being an ex service person, I know one of the roles of the BAOR was to evacuate British Citizens ‘if necessary.’ But that applied mainly to Brit Civillians who worked for HMForces. Not sure how they would cope with 1/4M? Brits who have their home here. They can’t even protect the ones that have lost their homes…... Demolished in front of their eyes!

Sorry if this is a bit of a rant.. but I have no faith whatsoever in the UK Govt. (Esp now Cameron has started the ball rolling that could lead to the UK no longer being in Europe!!!)

Even if it is ‘tight’ here at present - we would sooner be poor in the sun that in dark, grey olde England.

Best wishes to all for 2012.

SJ

*PS - Said crime was committed by another Brit - who did a hit and run and was never ‘captured’ or identified. (The car was as they left it behind, but the police go nowhere with their enquiries. I can only imagine the driver got on the first plane back to UK!!)

"We're doomed, doomed I tell, Mr Mainwaring"!

Obviously the newspapers didnt frighten the Ex-Pats enough,So a guy by the name of Jason Groves,has written a piece on line in in the Daily Mail today,to liven things up a bit.

For those who have read it or will read it,just notice he loves mentioning the words Spokesman and government Depts.But never mentiond the names of the people he got this information from

 Love the picture of 'The Treasury'!!!!!!!   And some of the forum comments  are priceless..................................

Thanks for sharing wizzard2 - really good stuff.

 I remember seeing this article as well. In fact it was the leading headline on the The Times app, well for a minute or two at least, as when I looked for it a few minutes after it had totally disappeared!

I think it was a case of a young journalist desperate for a story, who heard someone mention an evacuation plan, then decided to blow it up into a story.

Clearly the UK government in this day and age of health and safety have 'emergency plans' for just about every eventuality (including London being taken over by aliens I'm sure).

Realistically though it's ridicolous. Brits at the airport unable to buy flights home as they can't get cash from the machines. Don't they realise that people buy plane tickets online, and direct from a UK or Irish company.

It made me laugh though, clearly journalists and government emergency planners with far too much free time on their hands!

Like the other posters have said, with riots last summer and endless stabbings in London, I'll think stay and take my chances here!

Hello, I originally posted this story from the Telegraph, not the Times.  I don't think this was a journalist with too much time on his/her hands as this scenario is not impossible to imagine occuring.  There could be a lock down of banks etc and also people living in Europe would most likely only be able to purchase airline tickets if they have a sterling account in England that they can access online.  I would not expect this to be a long term problem, but i can see transactions in Europe being interrupted until new currencies become available, worst case scenario of course.  Riots are not confined to London, they are happening worldwide.  Madrid had riots in August.  I think the entire world is fed up with the way politicians have run things.

I think you're quite right Foxilady.  Whilst the "rescue of expats by the UK government" headline was always absurd, no-one really knows what will happen if the euro collapses. 

It may well hinge on how well the Spanish government manage the problem and introduce the replacement currency.  IMHO IF the situation arises and they don't plan and communicate properly there could be mayhem.

So The Times and The Telegraph both picked it up then.

I really don't think it's anything to be too worried about. If cival war breaks out and anarchy is upon us, then yes it makes a bit more sense. But that simply won't happen, either Germany will leave the Euro or the ECB will resort to the dreaded QE and 'Eurobonds' in exchange for a far tighter integrated Euro zone.

I think it's an exciting time to be here. A far weaker Spanish currency would help those living here and funding their lifestyle through UK earnings.

 First, there were no riots in Madrid this summer.  Los Indignados actually started the PEACEFUL anti capitalist movement, later picked up in New York, by setting up camp in Puerta Del Sol.    Second, it was the Times who broke the story and the Telegraph seemed to follow it up.  All other references I have seen to it specifically atribute its origin to the Times.   

I was referring to this

Madrid 'indignant' protesters clash with riot police

Police arrest protester in Madrid. 4 Aug 2011 Protesters are angry at government handling of the economic crisis

Continue reading the main story

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At least 20 people have been injured - including seven police officers - in clashes between riot police and protesters in Madrid

Police had stopped the demonstrators, known as "the indignants", from entering a square which has become a focus of anti-government protests.

Witnesses said police charged into a crowd outside the interior ministry

Correspondents say it was the most serious incident since the protest movement began in mid-May.

The indignants are complaining about the government's handling of the economy and high unemployment.

More than 200 police had been deployed on Thursday to close the Puerta del Sol square for the third day running.

In the evening, hundreds of demonstrators marched across the city to protest against the closure.

Monitored by police helicopters, they held a rally at the Plaza de Cibeles and many then gathered outside the interior ministry on the Paseo de la Castellana.

Witnesses said several police vans arrived and riot police charged into the crowd.

A spokesman for the emergency services told AFP news agency that 20 people were slightly injured, including seven policemen.

Four people were taken to hospital for observation, he said.

The protests in Madrid began on 15 May and spread to other Spanish cities via Facebook and Twitter.

Spain's unemployment rate is the highest in the EU, at 21.3%, and is particularly high among the under-25s, at 44.6%.

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I'm waiting to complete on my house here in Spain, so the sooner it collapses the better!

hahahahaha Iam doing a collapse dance for you here in UK!

 Expat rescue is the biggest loads of hogwash i have ever heard, 

The euro will not break up. any gambler just needs to look at at the options of it happening and the bookies are generally right

All the expats that were struggling are already back home on the social because the social does not exist in spain'

All you get here is 150 e per annum for school books per kid and unemployment benefit for 2 years if sacked, you get f all else

Thats why there are no freeloaders in spain! The morocans work on the fields or steal according to the spaniards who despise them.

Same as in France

Why do you think the freeloaders are queing at calais. Why dont they stop in paris or madrid.

Work it out .

It isnt hard maths because theyve worked it out!

Shame none of our governements have!