PM urges reciprocity as she vows to protect the rights of eastern European workers

THERESA MAY has pledged to protect the rights of tens of thousands of eastern Europeans living in the UK as long as they respect the rights of British workers in return.

The Prime Minister made her comments in Bratislava in Slovakia as she continued on her whistle-stop tour of Europe to meet with leaders following Britain’s decision to leave the EU.

At a Press conference held alongside Slovakian counterpart Robert Fico, she said: “I expect to be able to guarantee and protect the rights of Slovakian citizens and other EU citizens living in the UK and would intend to be able to protect those rights.

“The only circumstances in which that wouldn’t be possible would be if the rights of British citizens living and working in other parts of the European Union were not protected.

“I’m grateful we had a discussion over lunch and that concept of reciprosity I think is recognised.”

Last night she also had meetings with the Polish Prime Minister Szydlo where the future of the UK’s current freedom of movement agreement was due to be a priority for discussion.

During former Prime Minister David Cameron’s attempt to negotiate different terms of British membership of the EU in February, Poland was among the most vocal opponent of the proposal to cut back on the amount of benefits migrants would be entitled to.

Both Poland and Slovakia have recently restated that they want to retain freedom of movement with Britain.

However, Mrs May said clearly that British people do want controls on the number of people coming from the EU into the UK .

She said it was in the EU’s interests that there is as “smooth and orderly exit” and maximum benefit for the UK financially as well as leaving the EU in a stable position.

However, she added: “There was a very clear message from the British people in the Brexit vote that they did not want free movement to continue as it had done previously. “They do want some control.” She said Britain should look for bespoke model for its future relationship outside the EU and not replicate a Swiss or Norwegian model.

She said: “We need to find a solution that addresses the concerns of the British people about free movement while getting the best possible deal on trade and goods and services.

“We should be driven by what is in the best interests of the UK and what is going to work for the European Union.

“Not by the models that already exist.”

However, exactly how Britain strikes a deal where it curtails freedom of movement and retains access to the single market, goods and services will be at the heart of the official negotiation stage after Article 50 is triggered.

Despite leaving the EU Mrs May said Brexit offers the UK the opportunity to “intensify” its relationships with European allies and that the country is not withdrawing from the world.