Tory MP Alberto Costa leaves government after Brexit amendment to protect EU citizens

A Tory MP has left the government after proposing an amendment aimed at ensuring rights for EU nationals in the UK and Britons across the 27 EU member states, even in the case of a no-deal Brexit.

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The Prime Minister’s spokesman announced Alberto Costa had “resigned” from his role as a parliamentary private secretary in the Scotland office after breaking with the norm that MPs with ministerial roles don’t amend government motions.

Theresa May’s spokesman stressed that the Prime Minister had already guaranteed rights for EU nationals in the UK, and suggested that the EU had not followed suit by promising equivalent rights for Brits in the EU.

“We would strongly urge them to do so,” he told the Financial Times.

Despite Costa’s dismissal, it is possible that the Prime Minister may whip her MPs to back the amended motion.

1/4 Can’t begin to say how brilliant it is to see my amendment in black and white on the order paper today. I’m hugely grateful to those colleagues who have very kindly supported my amendment to ringfence rights for those EU citizens in the UK and those in UK citizens in the EU. pic.twitter.com/zrhwN9ljpw

— Alberto Costa MP (@AlbertoCostaMP) February 27, 2019

“The Prime Minister never said that she would oppose it,” the spokesman said. “What the Prime Minister has pointed out was the challenges on the EU side.”

Home secretary Sajid Javid appeared surprised when told by members of the Home Affairs Select Committee this morning that the government had spoken out against the amendment

“When was it not supporting it? When did you hear that?” asked Javid.

After being told that May said she would oppose the amendment yesterday, Javid replied that he was “perfectly happy” with the amendment.

The government’s decision to support the amendment has led to calls for Costa to be reinstated to his role as a ministerial aide to Scotland secretary David Mundell, especially given dissent in recent days from high-profile cabinet ministers.

The news that Costa was leaving the government came after Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said he would back May’s EU divorce deal if the Prime Minister could guarantee a time limit on the controversial Irish backstop.

Rees-Mogg, who heads up the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG), told the BBC: “I can live with the de facto removal of the backstop.

“I mean that if there is a clear date that says the backstop ends, and that is in the text of the treaty or equivalent of the text of the treaty.”

Only last month Rees-Mogg said: “As long as that backstop is there, I will not vote for this deal.”

On the specifics of a time limit, Rees-Mogg said he wants “a short date, not a long date, then that would remove the backstop in the lifetime of parliament.”

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The Prime Minister’s divorce deal will face a vote in the House of Commons on 12 March.

If it is defeated then MPs will vote the following day on whether the UK should leave the EU without a deal on 29 March – the scheduled departure date. 

If that is voted down, then a third consecutive vote would see MPs decide whether or not to delay Brexit.