The British government could potentially strip European Union citizens already living in UK of their right to stay, David Cameron has said.
The Prime Minister said though he wanted EU citizens to stay, a future government could send EU citizens home in retaliation for British citizens living abroad being sent back to the UK.
He issued the warning at his last Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday.
“We are working hard to do what we want, which is to give a guarantee to EU citizens that they will have their rights respected, all those who have come to this country,” he said.
“The only circumstance I could ever envisage a future government trying to undo that guarantee would be if British citizens in other European countries didn’t have their rights respected.
“I think it is important to have reciprocity. The future Prime Minister will be working to give that guarantee as fast we can.”
Mr Cameron was responding to a question by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who accused the Government of providing “no clear answer” on the issue.
“It would be good in his last question time of the Prime Minister could offer some reassurance to those people,” he said.
At another point in the question session, Mr Cameron said it was “vital” for Britain to retain access to the single market.
Incoming Prime Minister Theresa May has refused to guarantee EU citizens the right to stay in Britain.
Last week the House of Commons voted 245 MPs to 2 in favour of protecting European Union migrants’ rights to stay. The Conservatives did not vote on the issue, however.
