Now Brussels warns Theresa: Your offer on migrants isn’t good enough

EUROPEAN leaders lined up yesterday to dismiss Theresa May’s Brexit offer to three million Eu citizens living in the UK by saying it was ‘not enough’.

But the prime Minister last night defended her ‘very fair and very serious’ proposal and insisted that Brussels should be in no doubt Britain is leaving and that it would be good for the country.

as Eu critics argued that the European Court of Justice must have a role overseeing the new citizens’ rights regime, Mrs May gave assurances that families’ futures will be protected.

In a press conference at the close of a twoday summit, Mrs May was sked if she could guarantee that Brexit would be good for Britain. ‘That’s exactly what we’re working for,’ said. ‘I have every intention of ensuring we get a good deal for Britain and that not only will we able to see a good, new, deep and special partnership with the Eu, but we’ll be able to take opportunities for global Britain to be trading across the world.’

Mrs May said leaders had ‘reacted positively’ to the offer on citizen rights. ‘I want all those Eu citizens who are in the UK to know that no one will have to leave,’ she said. ‘We won’t be seeing families split apart – people will be able to go on living their lives as before. This is a fair and serious offer. It gives those three million Eu citizens in the UK certainty about the future of their lives and we want the same certainty for the more than one million UK citizens living in the European union.’

But European Council president Donald Tusk said it was ‘obvious’ the UK is trying to strip away rights currently enjoyed by European citizens. ‘The UK offer is below our expectations and risks worsening the situation,’ he said.

Eu leaders were also furious about Mrs May’s refusal to accept a role for the European Court of Justice. Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, said he ‘cannot see’ the Luxembourg court being excluded from any agreement.

Belgium’s Charles Michel called Mrs May’s opening offer ‘an extremely vague proposal for something incredibly complicated’.

German chancellor angela Merkel also raised concerns about the UK’s refusal to accept the continued jurisdiction of the ECJ, saying there was ‘a long way to go’ before a deal could be reached.