Can anyone recall for how many months the British ExPats Association told its thousands of Members that residency cards are to be abolished? Well it is well over a year.
What thanks or credence did the Association get? Zilch Even many of our most devote Members had their doubts, when seeing certain press cuttings recently, and understandably so. Why did they start to disbelieve us?
A certain inept and totally incompetent Consul, based in Alicante, by the name of Russell Thomson has "used his weight and influence" to tell the media (some would say instruct them) that your Association and the media, who carried our disclosure we totally WRONG to do so. He stated quite openly on radio and to the media that such "gossip" was merely just that "gossip". He further stated that those who had promulgated such "gossip" did not understand the contents of the Directive, to which we had specifically referred, and nowhere was there a requirement to abolish residency cards.
He even stated that if it the Directive did make such requirements upon E. U Member States, then Spain were exempt from such an imposition.
It starts to question whether Russell Thomson is a spokesman for the United Kingdom Government or the Spanish Government. Recall this is the Consul that effectively said that "if you don't like "Spanish rules" then go home - no one asked you to come". This was in response to our condemning the Spanish Police for illegally fining U. K. ExPats for driving on U. K. driving licenses. (We involved the European Union and managed to get many of our member's fines
reimbursed - almost unheard of in Spanish History - yet another fine mess you failed to assist us in Russell)
The gist of what is quoted is correct even if his words may not have been precisely recorded.
We, as an Association have lost total faith and confidence in the Consul for Alicante Russell Thomson. Indeed we plead with Jack Straw to witness his appalling behaviour, on recent issues, and to admit that he has failed his post and failed it with distinction.
Many of you will have heard his comments recently on radio OCI and or may have read his article in Round Town News.
For those who missed his gems of wisdom click here to see them in glorious technicolor. He simply cannot escape the profound criticisms the British ExPats Association (Spain) gladly bestow upon him.
Fellow ExPats must feel free to judge the competence of Russell Thomson. We feel it would take a perverted mind to offer even the remotest of support.
Our Association believes wholeheartedly that the position of Consul in Alicante deserves someone with intellect, ability, a genuine care for the plight of ExPats and someone willing to take advice from those better qualified to offer it. Russell Thomson falls at every singular fence. He should and must be replaced. Jack Straw take the saber in you hand and dispatch him quickly - out of Embassies period. Please do not inflict his ignorance on other ExPats somewhere else in the world. He has shown himself to be ignorant, uncaring and incompetent. If he stays Jack Straw you will be telling the world that these are the precise credentials one needs to be a Consul.
Our Association want this letter from the European Union to be inscribed on his gravestone - click here to read the European Union's reply which totally vindicates our Association and condemns Russell Thomson. We suggest that Radio OCI and Round Town News issue statements to their listeners and readers advising that they were mislead by Consul Russell Thomson and that residency cards are to be abolished. If they do not, then we rely upon their listeners or readers to make up their own minds as to their respective integrity.
Latest score - British ExPats Association (Spain) 2 - Russell Thomson 0 (and that is only in the last week)