The Daily Telegraph

Brexit reports,

- By Steven Swinford and Peter Foster

THERESA MAY’S hopes of an early deal on the rights of EU migrants suffered a significan­t setback yesterday after her “fair” offer was declared “insufficie­nt” and “below expectatio­ns” by European leaders.

The Prime Minister unveiled plans on Thursday to grant more than three million EU citizens living in the UK the right to stay permanentl­y after Brexit and be treated like British citizens.

She clashed with EU leaders yesterday after rejecting their demands that the European Court of Justice should continue to oversee the rights of migrants living in the UK after Brexit.

She also refused to accept that the “cut-off date”, after which EU citizens will no longer be automatica­lly entitled to stay in the UK, should fall on the day that Brexit takes place.

Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, said: “My first impression is that the UK offer is below our expectatio­ns and risks worsening the situation of citizens.

“It is obvious that the impact of Brexit on citizens’ rights is negative and our role is to reduce this negative ... effect of Brexit.”

Jean-claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said it was “inconceiva­ble” that the European Court of Justice would not oversee the rights of EU citizens in the UK.

However, Mrs May made clear yesterday that the influence of the European Court of Justice will end once Britain leaves the European Union.

She told a press conference at the Brussels summit: “From our point of view, these will be enshrined through UK law and enforced through highly respected UK courts. Of course, if this is an aspect of the withdrawal treaty then it will be enshrined in internatio­nal law as well.”

Mrs May said that other European leaders, including the Polish prime minister, had reacted “positively” to her offer on EU migrants. Speaking exactly a year after Britain voted to leave the EU, she insisted that Brexit “will be good”.

She added: “I have every intention of ensuring we get a good deal for Britain and that not only will we be able to see a good, new, deep and special partnershi­p with the EU but we will also be able to take opportunit­ies … I believe in the British people. I believe in our ability to do this as a country and see a better future.”

While European leaders were publicly critical of the offer on EU migrants, officials suggested that a compromise is likely and that the offer is not “a million miles away” from their position. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, said that the offer represente­d a “good start” but was not a “breakthrou­gh”. Victor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, warned fellow EU leaders that “we have to be cautious” because “the British are one of the most clever nations in Europe”.

Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory MP and former Conservati­ve leader, said he believed EU leaders had been “caught napping” by Mrs May.

He said: “This is just the normal cut and thrust of negotiatio­n. Theresa has gone in on the front foot and made it an issue for EU leaders, so she’s put them in a position where they have to react. The one to listen to is Angela Merkel, and she said it was a ‘good start’.”

However, Sigmar Gabrial, the German foreign minister, said that the clashes over EU migrant rights indicated that the negotiatio­ns are likely to be fraught.

He said: “The situation must be really tense if such an obvious thing is now considered as news. Of course people should at least have the right to stay, that is a minimum, and personally I cannot imagine things differentl­y.”

The Prime Minister will unveil her full plans for migrant rights on Monday, when she publishes a 12-page position paper. As well as migrant rights, there is likely to be an intense debate over the “cut-off date” for EU migrants to be given permanent residency.

Mrs May said that it could fall at any point between March 29, 2017, the date that Article 50 was triggered, and the date that Britain leaves the European Union, expected to be in March 2019.

There is also likely to be a clash over EU demands that all migrants who have worked in the UK should be entitled to permanent residency, even if they have subsequent­ly returned home. British officials said that Mrs May will resist the move.

It came as an editorial in the Evening Standard, which is edited by George Osborne, accused Mrs May of blocking plans by her predecesso­r David Cameron to give EU migrants an early guarantee that they would be allowed to stay after Brexit.

The editorial claimed Mr Cameron wanted to give EU citizens a “unilateral” agreement that their rights would be protected after Brexit.

It said that in the immediate aftermath of the referendum, he had the agreement of the entire Cabinet for the public assurance except for Mrs May, “who insisted on blocking it”. The Prime Minister yesterday rejected the claim in Brussels, where she said: “That’s certainly not my recollecti­on.”

Mr Osborne was sacked by Mrs May as chancellor in one of her first acts as prime minister and has become a leading critic of her approach to Brexit.

The editorial said: “She has barely persuaded her Conservati­ve colleagues to back her plan.”

 ??  ?? Emmanuel Macron and Arnold Schwarzene­gger arrive at the summit
Emmanuel Macron and Arnold Schwarzene­gger arrive at the summit

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