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MPs - do not buy the PM’s pig in a poke.
To head off the Costa amendment, which has extensive cross-party support, she simply announced that Jeremy Hunt had already written to his 27 EU counterparts “to seek assurances on the rights of UK citizens”.
To head off the Costa amendment, which has extensive cross-party support, she simply announced that Jeremy Hunt had already written to his 27 EU counterparts “to seek assurances on the rights of UK citizens”.
Instead of a binding agreement she offers pious hope.
Instead of taking back control she leaves the fate of British nationals in the hands of 27 different EU governments, all increasingly frustrated with the UK’s handling of Brexit.
Instead of taking back control she leaves the fate of British nationals in the hands of 27 different EU governments, all increasingly frustrated with the UK’s handling of Brexit.
The only reason the PM offers is that the EU “does not have legal authority” to ring fence the Citizens’ Rights part of the withdrawal agreement. There is NO legal barrier to such an agreement.
The only barrier is that the Negotiating Guidelines originally agreed by the European Council say, “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed”. But the decision to ring-fence would be a decision of the European Council,...
...and if it agrees that in principle it can simply agree to vary or ignore its own guideline.
If the PM is genuine about protecting the rights of her fellow-nationals in the EU, she should follow the oldest negotiating guideline of all – “Don’t ask, don’t get”.
If the PM is genuine about protecting the rights of her fellow-nationals in the EU, she should follow the oldest negotiating guideline of all – “Don’t ask, don’t get”.
