We are Oxford for Europe – a group of volunteers working to help Oxford remain the welcoming and vibrant international centre that it has always been.
While our activity is mainly in Oxford, we support activities across Oxfordshire and the UK in co-operation with numerous other formal and informal pro-EU organisations. We are affiliated to the European Movement UK, and work closely with Grassroots for Europe, March for Change, Best for Britain and many others.
Brexit has happened, but that only increases the need to promote pro-EU voices, to make EU citizens welcome, to share news from the EU and to encourage more people to get involved in building a pro-European city, county and country. With the country facing unprecedented difficulties as a result of the pandemic, we need to ensure that we do not lose sight of the need to cooperate across borders, and to mitigate the increasingly obvious damage since 1 January 2021.
For the latest news from the EU, download the EU Citizens App from the Google or Apple store.
For our latest newsletter (14 March), see here. Previous Newsletters are here. You can find us on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
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Our Most Recent Event:
Time For Liberal Values?
Wednesday 24th March
With Layla Moran and Ian Dunt
Defend The Right To Protest Peacefully
The government has tabled new legislation, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which will seriously restrict our right to protest peacefully. This is being rushed through so action needs to be taken now to oppose it. See here for details.
And see here for an article by Oxford For Europe’s Lizzy Price and Peter Burke.
Latest blog from the Chair
No Way To Start A Trade War
(13 March 2021)
Previous blogs:
A Touch of Frost (26 February 2021)
We Don’t Want To Spoil You, Mr Ambassador (24 January 2021)
Kicking at an Open Goal and Missing
(18 January 2021)
When Project Fear became Project Reality
(11 January 2021)
Giving up what you have for something you never lost
(3 January 2021)
Most Recent Event
‘Why Brexit Isn’t Settled And Why Friendship Still Matters’
On 1st March we met Richard Corbett, former MEP and Terry Reintke MEP. The topic was “Why Brexit Isn’t Settled and Why Friendship Matters”
Richard Corbett 
Terry Reintke
Good Law Project
We are supporting the work of Jolyon Maugham QC and his team in holding this Government to account. Details here.
Grassroots for Europe Council Election
We are affiliated to a national body, Grassroots for Europe. A new council has been elected, including our own Colin Gordon. See here for details.
The Census – An Opportunity
For those who still have to complete their 2021 census form: This is a hugely important opportunity for all of us who still feel European to stand up and be counted.
In the question on ‘national identity’, there is a write-in option – we have written EUROPEAN.
We are collecting pledges to give people confidence that a lot of us are planning to do this. Please sign the Pledge to declare yourself European.
Imagine the impact if hundreds of thousands of people, even millions, declare themselves European in the census!
You can read more about this campaign here
Previous Event
On 26th January, 7 pm we were joined by Tony Connelly and Jonathan Lis. Superb presentation from both speakers. 220 attended.
Brexit Expectations and Reality
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An Evening with Chris Grey
This was held online on Tuesday 8th December.
For further information and to watch the video click here:
Blue Passports and Narrowed Horizons
A Musician’s Perspective. Click here
Erasmus
We should campaign to preserve the right of students in UK and EU to visit other countries. See here
Letter to Labour about the emerging catastrophe of Brexit: act now!
Click here
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West of England Bylines
We work closely with the online publication, West Of England Bylines. You can read it here
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A Mind To Extend?
A commentary from Colin Gordon
Roads to Re-Entry
A 3-part commentary by Colin Gordon
(Published in NE Bylines)
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Labour’s Position on the Trade Deal: An Open Letter
A letter to Labour from one of our supporters – read it here
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Our democracy and the rule of law: who is threatening them, and why?
This meeting was held online on Tuesday 24th November 2020. It featured Jessica Simor QC and Peter Jukes.
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Socially-distanced event to support UNITE’s #GetADeal call to save BMW jobs at Cowley
This was held on Thursday October 8th outside the BMW works car. See report here and in the Oxford Mail
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Action Day on 8th October
The European Movement held a Day of Action on 8th October. For details click here.
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A Pariah State – us?
UK Government proposing to renege on EU Withdrawal Agreement and become a Pariah State: An Open Letter from the Chair
And an Open Letter to the Prime Minister
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The Russia Report
This is now out, after a totally avoidable delay of 9 months. The Government’s attempts to say ‘nothing to see here’ are transparent and are part of a gaslighting campaign which must never succeed.
The report makes it clear that Russian interference in the UK democratic process is the ‘new normal’, and calls clearly for an investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 Referendum. Even though it finds no evidence of such a role, it roundly castigates successive Tory Governments for failing to seek one. It leaves open the question of whether the reason for this gross neglect was malice, incompetence, or both. We in Oxford For Europe, together with our sister organisations, call for urgent action so that such abuses can never happen again and so that those responsible can be held to account.
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CBI calls for a no-deal Brexit to be avoided
On 18th October a joint statement was issued by the CBI and 71 trade bodies, covering the whole of British industry and agriculture, and stating that a no deal Brexit would severely damage all sectors of the economy and must be avoided. Details here.
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Brexit: Dark Deeds and Unhealthy Choices:
OfE meeting featuring Peter Geoghegan and Philippa Whitford
This online meeting was held on Monday, September 28th.
It featured Peter Geoghegan, author of ‘Democracy for Sale: Dark Money and Dirty Politics’, and Philippa Whitford, SNP spokesman on Europe and Health.
You can see the video here and read more about the speakers here.
Peter’s book is available from Blackwells: click here. More details here.
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Online Meeting – One Crisis At A Time!
This meeting took place on 9 July and featured Dominic Grieve and Michael Dougan. You can watch it here. Read more about it here.
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No No-Deal Brexit!
Messages from Oxford For Europe’s Media Team:
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Faces of Europe.
This is an initiative aimed at EU nationals living in the Region. Full details of the idea and how to become involved can be found at https://emoxfordregion.org/faces-of-europe-2/ . And the email address to write to is euromoveoxon@gmail.com .
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Cummings:
An open letter from the Chair of Oxford For Europe
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Cummings, Brexit and Russia
Colin Gordon, of Oxford For Europe, has written in some detail about Cummings and Russia. Follow this link.
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Select Committees
Colin Gordon writes about the continuing role of Parliamentary Select Committees: here.
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Brexit Transition Advocates
A detailed review of the evidence, collated by Colin Gordon on behalf of Grassroots for Europe. Here
Should pro-EU groups focus now On a campaign to extend the Brexit transition period? – A commentary by Colin Gordon
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Petitions
Call for a public enquiry into the government’s handling of Coronavirus: https://www.marchforchange.uk/coronavirus_inquiry
Seek Europe-wide Visa-free work permit for Touring professionals and Artists:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/563294
Oppose the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
https://www.marchforchange.uk/defend_democracy
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Our Privacy Policy
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Donations
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