Guy Verhofstadt is up now. He starts by saying: 'The best option is Britain stays in the EU and then the problem is resolved naturally. But that's not what the British people want and we have to respect this.'
Verhofstadt reels off the Government's red lines in the negotiations. He says this is 'a list that in my opinion severely constrains the Union to ensure that a future relationship is as close as we'd like it to be'.
Verhofstadt gives EU states both barrels on citizens' rights: 'I'm far from happy concerning the treatment of UK citizens in the EU27. Most Member States have not yet started the process and many have not yet determined the procedures. We will remain very vigilant on this issue.'
Verhofstadt adds: 'As we will also on onward movement, ensuring the UK citizens in the EU27 can still exercise their right to free movement within the Union after Brexit.' He may be a pantomime villain at times, but no-one can claim the EP hasn't been very even handed on this.
More Hof on this: 'It can't be a unilateral process, we need to solve the status of UK citizens living on the continent. We'll never give our green light on the final agreement if that's not also on board because it's about citizens and it doesn't matter if they're EU or UK.'
