Rights of EU nationals and that of British nationals should be given priority in Brexti negotiation

Once again, a senior member of Theresa May’s cabinet David Davis has reiterated that the UK government and the European Union must the rights of British nationals living in other EU countries and EU nationals living in the UK a priority in the Brexit negotiation as soon as possible.

This call came after it was revealed that EU nations may adopt a rigorous approach against UK citizens living in EU member states in retaliation to how the UK is making life difficult for other EU citizens living in the UK.

The Brexit Secretary stated that the UK government would try and strike a deal that protects rights, social support and healthcare.

"We are determined to get a good outcome to protect the rights of British citizens and European Union nation citizens and to get an answer quickly," he said, speaking in Stockholm alongside Sweden's EU minister Ann Linde.

"We would have liked to have had the answer already, we would have liked to have settled this issue already."

Mr Davis said the Government would like to make the issue "the very first thing on the negotiating agenda" once the procedure starts.

"We understand that people feel uncertain and we want to take away all that uncertainty and replace it with residents' rights, social support, healthcare - all of those sorts of things," he said.

Davis also used the moment to assure that Article 50 will be triggered as promised by the Prime Minister. But dismissed speculations that the triggering of Article 50 will take place during EU summit coming up 9-10 March.

The legal rights of most of 3.3 EU nationals living in the UK and vice-versa is going to be one of the urgent issues that would be discussed at the negotiation table. The PM had always said that Britain will only reciprocate any action being taken by the EU towards British nationals living in other EU member states.

The leaked EU document on citizens' rights, reported by The Guardian newspaper, said it will be down to each member state to decide whether British citizens are allowed to carry on living within their borders after 2019.