MPs will shortly begin their Committee stage of the Article 50 Bill in the Commons. Before that begins, Theresa May had one more chance to try to reassure colleagues who are considering voting for amendments to that Bill by giving a statement to the House on the informal EU summit in Malta that took place last week.
She repeatedly told MPs, both in her statement and in her answers to questions afterwards, that reaching an agreement on the status of EU citizens in the UK was a priority and that it needed to be a ‘reciprocal’ agreement. She also warned the Commons not to obstruct the Article 50 Bill. The early settlement of the question of EU citizens has been a key promise made by ministers and whips in their conversations with those threatening to rebel – though it is worth noting that both Remainers and Brexiteers are raising this issue.
Oddly, Jeremy Corbyn chose not to focus his response on the matters that will most preoccupy MPs for the next few days, but on a prolonged complaint about defence cuts.
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