UK gov’t won’t offer guarantee to EU citizens

LONDON – Britain’s immigration minister says he can’t guarantee that European Union citizens who live in the U.K. will be able to stay after the country leaves the bloc.

James Brokenshire has told the House of Commons that “EU nationals continue to be welcome here” and “their right to enter, work, study and live in the U.K. remains unchanged” since the vote last week to leave the bloc.

But he said a guarantee that they would be allowed to remain after Britain negotiates its EU exit “would be unwise without a parallel assurance” from other EU countries that British citizens can continue to live there.

A final split from the EU is likely several years away. Opposition politicians are demanding the government ease the uncertainty of some 3 million EU citizens by guaranteeing they can stay.

Labour legislator Gisela Stuart said Monday that it was wrong to make them “bargaining chips” in negotiations.