May’s U-turn on citizens’ rights to avoid Brexit loss

THERESA May backed down on citizens’ rights after a no-deal Brexit to avoid another Commons defeat yesterday.

The Government supported a bid by Tory MP Alberto Costa to offer guarantees to more than five million people in crunch Brexit votes.

But bizarrely the ministerial aide was forced to quit so he could table the amendment.

It came after Home Secretary Sajid Javid backed the move.

The Brexit U-turn came 24 hours after the Prime Minister, pictured in the Commons yesterday, suggested she could not support his plan.

Mr Costa had urged her to push for the rights of all British nationals settled in the EU, and EU citizens here, to be ringfenced in a no-deal scenario. She said: “If it’s not within that withdrawal agreement then it is a matter for individual states, and we’ve already taken that up with individual states.”

The Tory MP accused her of hiding behind process. Sources claimed he was later sacked, despite Mr Javid’s support and No 10 saying the PM didn’t oppose the move. Labour backed his amendment, as well as dozens of Tory backbenchers, including Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Labour committed to backing a second referendum last night after Jeremy Corbyn’s Brexit vision was defeated. The Labour leader said: “We will back a public vote to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit or disastrous no-deal outcome.”

Mrs May had already taken the sting out of last night’s Brexit votes by vowing to give MPs votes next month on no-deal and delaying Brexit.

French president Emmanuel Macron piled pressure on her by saying the UK would need a good reason to postpone its departure beyond March 29.

But German chancellor Angela Merkel said the EU would not oppose any request for an extension.

BREXIT