THE PRIME Minister yesterday signalled that the Government would safeguard the rights of the three million EU citizens living in the UK, even in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
The move was given a cautious, if sceptical welcome, from groups campaigning on behalf of Europeans living in Britain, but they warned the Tory leader that she was “running low on trust”.
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May made the promise during her indignant statement from Downing Street.
After telling the country that the UK would “continue the work” of preparing for a no deal, she moved to clarify the Government’s approach on the plight of the more than 3 million EU citizens living in the UK.
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They would, she said, “be understandably worried about what the outcome of yesterday’s summit means for their future.”
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“I want to be clear with you that even in the event of no deal your rights will be protected. You are our friends, our neighbours, our colleagues. We want you to stay,” she added.
Ministers are expected to confirm details about what exactly that means next month, after party conference season has ended.
In a statement on their Facebook page, The 3 Million campaign group commented: “This is a positive step but many of our #citizensrights are of a bilateral nature, such as access to social security and pension rights. Now is the time to ring-fence the Draft Withdrawal Agreement chapter on citizens’ rights, which you have already agreed with the EU.
“How? Simply follow the Article 50 procedure, even if it is the only deal that remains after two years of Brexit negotiations.
“This way, our future as EU citizens in the UK will be under the protection of a treaty between the UK and the EU.
“Otherwise, these are just words from a Prime Minister who is running low on trust.”
Labour MP Tom Brake posted his response on Twitter. He said: “@theresa_may please stop talking about securing the rights of the #the3million EU citizens in the UK in the case of No Deal. Just Do It Immediately.”
However, British in Europe, an organisation campaigning on behalf of UK residents living in the EU called the statement “disgraceful”.
In a letter to May, they welcomed her pledge to EU citizens in the UK but said they did not hear “one single word about the future of 1.2 million UK nationals living in the EU”.
They added: “You appear willing to take the UK out of the EU with a no deal and with no thought for your own nationals.
“This was a disgraceful and unacceptable omission on your part. Over the last 18 months the UK has negotiated away our rights, you and your Secretaries of State have refused to meet with us and now you completely ignore us at a critical time”.
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