Theresa May’s guarantees for citizens after Brexit receive tepid response
London — The EU demanded Britain go further to guarantee the rights of millions of EU citizens after Brexit, in a blow to Prime Minister Theresa May’s hopes for a swift deal. Michel Barnier, the bloc’s chief negotiator, knocked back May’s offer to protect work and residency rights for its citizens living in Britain less than two hours after she set it out in a detailed 20-page report on Monday. "More ambition, clarity and guarantees needed than in today’s UK position," Barnier said on Twitter. The bloc’s goal is for the "same level of protection as in EU law", he said. The response sets up a clash that threatens to hold up crucial talks on a new trade deal between Britain and EU. Both sides want an early settlement on citizens’ rights and have agreed they won’t start talking about a free trade accord until this issue, among others, is agreed. An estimated 3.2 million EU ex-patriots living in the UK would be treated as if they were British for the purposes of receiving state educatio...
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