Nicola Sturgeon’s demand for “immediate guarantees” to Scotland’s EU citizens has been rebuffed by the favourite to become the next Prime Minister.
Theresa May, the Home Secretary and frontrunner for the Conservative leadership, said there will be a “negotiation” about what happens to those from other parts of the EU living and working in the UK after last week’s Brexit vote.
She said there is no change while the UK remains in the EU, which will be the case for at least two years, but could not offer any assurances beyond that.
The Maidenhead MP said: “What’s important is there will be a negotiation here as to how we deal with that issue of people who are already here and who have an established life here, (as well as) Brits who have established life in other countries within the EU.
“The position at the moment is as it has been. There’s no change at the moment, but of course we have to factor that into negotiations.”
The First Minister wrote to David Cameron, and the five candidates vying to replace him, calling for reassurances to those EU residents in Scotland whose lives have been thrown into limbo by the UK’s decision to leave the bloc.
She said today: “People from EU countries are an important part of Scotland’s future.
“I am therefore seeking immediate guarantees from the Prime Minister, and all Conservative leadership candidates, that the residency status and the other existing rights of the 173,000 EU nationals living in Scotland will remain unchanged, now or in the future.
“This is a commitment that can and should be made and enforced now.”
