UK Prime Minister Theresa May wants EU citizens to stay in Britain after Brexit
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May says she wants all European Union citizens lawfully living in Britain to remain after Brexit in 2019, promising a streamlined system for them to register to be able to stay.
"They've made a huge contribution to our country, that's why we want them and their families to stay. I'm absolutely clear that EU citizens living lawfully in the UK today will be able to stay," May said in Parliament on Wednesday.
"It's going to be a digital system, it'll be streamlined, it'll be user friendly, and it will ensure that this is as simple and as easy a process for people as we can provide,” she added.
The embattled premier told reporters early February, "There is a difference between those who came prior to us leaving and those who will come when they know the UK is leaving."
She had also said that the status of such EU citizens would be "a matter for negotiation" when Britain meets with EU officials again in March to set the terms of the transition period, which is expected to last around two years after Britain officially exits the bloc in March 2019.
Brussels has warned London that "citizens' rights during the transition are not negotiable."
The British government has faced fierce criticism both at home and by the EU for its lack of clarity on its Brexit strategy.
The uncertainty has raised fears that Britain could crash out of the bloc without a trade deal, incurring heavy costs on its domestic economy.
In the United Kingdom’s 2016 referendum, 52 percent, or 17.4 million people, voted to leave the EU while 48 percent, or 16 million, voted to stay.
Nearly half of British voters support holding a second referendum on whether the UK should remain or leave the EU amid growing concerns about the government’s Brexit negotiations with the bloc, a poll by The Guardian newspaper shows.
Several campaigns have emerged in recent weeks calling for a rerun of the EU referendum and putting pressure on MPs to oppose a Brexit agreement.
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