Theresa May has somewhat shamefully maintained her reticence over the rights of EU workers to stay in Britain after Brexit. But some in the ‘Leave’ campaign are continuing to pile pressure on the PM to do the right thing and give assurance to the 3.5million Europeans living and working in Britain. Gisela Stuart was clear throughout the referendum that these workers should not be booted out of Britain in the event of a ‘Leave’ vote. And in a campaign which painted few in glory, Stuart is an exception for actually sticking by what she said. Here’s what she had to say this morning:
‘I think there is no debate about guaranteeing rights, it’s a question about what point does the Government become explicit that existing rights will be honoured. I think it will be good for the British Government to actually take the initiative and say we will protect EU citizens’ rights and then expect the same for UK citizens in the rest of the EU.’
Stuart should be praised for doing her best to give assurance to those EU citizens who will have been thrown into turmoil by Theresa May’s hard-headed – and misguided – approach over this. Yet whilst Stuart has the moral high ground here, she’s actually being shrewd rather than soppy.
These Brexit negotiations are going to be tough and fractious. And in the same way that Britain’s relationship with the EU as members was built on compromise, that principle of concession will also govern our exit. So why should we give up a ‘bargaining chip’ such as this? Ignoring the fact it’s meddling with peoples’ lives not to, the short answer is that it would also demonstrate the Government’s ability to be grown-up. It would send out a clear message that whilst Britain wants to leave the EU, it hasn’t abandoned its good sense and judgement on something as pivotal as this. What’s more, as Stuart said this morning, an announcement on this issue is almost certain to be followed by a reciprocal one guaranteeing the rights of the 1.2million UK citizens in the EU. So with this sideshow out the way, the real negotiations – on trade deals and access to markets – would be able to start. Yet in clinging on to her increasingly untenable position on this, May risks the long-term effect of alienating our European neighbours and making the negotiations after Article 50 even tougher than they will be.
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