A weakened Theresa May tried to regain the initiative on Brexit at a European summit by making a “fair and serious” offer last night to guarantee the rights of 3m EU citizens living in Britain.
The prime minister told fellow European leaders in Brussels that no EU citizens living lawfully in Britain at the point it leaves the bloc in March 2019 would be asked to leave, nor would Brexit require families to be split up.
Those who had lived in Britain for five years would have “settled status” and would be eligible to the same healthcare, pensions, benefits and education rights as British nationals. Details of the offer will be published on Monday.