UK PM to unveil details of expat rights offer
UK Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to expand on her ‘offer’ on rights of EU27 expats in the UK after Brexit when she speaks to MPs this afternoon.
This is significant also to British people in EU27 countries such as France because rights of expats on both sides are expected to form part of a reciprocal deal. The EU has already set out comprehensive proposals for maintaining the rights of existing expats.
At 14.30 UK time (15.30 in France) Mrs May is expected to address the House of Commons to update MPs on the EU summit she attended on Thursday night last week at which she outlined some of her ideas to other leaders. You can watch it live here.
A detailed 15-page document on the UK’s rights offer is also expected to be released later today.
So far reports from the summit as to the government’s intentions have received mixed reactions, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel calling Mrs May’s proposals ‘a good start’, but others, including the Liberal Democrats and campaigners from the British in Europe coalition and The 3 million group for EU27 expats saying they fell short of what is needed to reassure people.
Whereas the expat rights issue is so far being treated as part of the reciprocal ‘Brexit divorce deal’, there have been calls from campaigners and some MEPs to ‘ring-fence’ off the rights agreement from the rest of the deal so as to give people peace of mind as soon as possible.
