The British government plans to horse trade the rights of expats in the European Union to gain negotiating leverage after triggering the process to leave Europe.
Ministers have rejected the chance to safeguard the rights of EU citizens in Britain without first gaining a similar guarantee for the 1.2 million Brits living in the EU.
While MPs have criticised the government for not pledging to maintain the status quo, ministers have signalled that they will not make a unilateral announcement unless the EU agrees to do the same for British expats.
MPs criticised the government for making people ‘bargaining chips’ to trade for political advantage.
However, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond argued that any agreement had to work both ways and EU expats in Britain could expect the same deal as British expats get in Europe.
No guarantees from Britain
His statement followed comments from Home Secretary Theresa May, the front runner in the Tory leadership race.
She wants to cement the rights of EU expats to stay in their jobs and homes without extracting a similar promise over the futures of British expats.
In response, the Foreign Office made clear that the government would make no moves over the matter pending the opening of Brexit negotiations, which are not expected to formally start until at least September.
Hammond did explain that he considered EU expats would not be ordered to leave Britain and hinted that he would like informal discussion with EU representatives to allay fears before proper talks started.
Bilateral agreement
“If we give a guarantee to EU expats now we risk selling our own people out too cheaply at some time in the future,” said Hammond.
“This has to be a bilateral agreement and we are not giving any concessions until we have fully discussed the issue with the EU.
“I would expect symmetry in the way nationals of Britain and the EU are treated by their opposite number. The best way forward would be for expats already living in the EU to continue exactly as they are now.”
Immigration minister James Brokenshire told MPs in the Commons that government policy would not change until the next Prime Minister considered how to move forward.
