Andrea Leadsom slams Theresa May for using EU citizens living in Britain as leverage in Brexit negotiations

A BITTER Government row over the rights of Europeans in the UK exploded yesterday as Theresa May was accused of using them as “bargaining chips”.

Tory Leadership rival Andrea Leadsom hit out at the Home Secretary as she “guaranteed” all three million EU nationals would be able to stay if she becomes PM.

Launching her campaign for No.10 the Energy Minister pledged: “We must give them certainty – there is no way they will be bargaining chips in our negotiations.

“I commit today to immediately guaranteeing the rights of our EU friends who have already come here to live and work.”

Theresa May had refused to make the same promise over the weekend – with her aides saying it could weaken Britain’s hand in Brexit divorce talks.

Her stance was backed by Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond yesterday – who said it would be “absurd” to make a commitment without having a guarantee over the rights of British ex-pats in return.

But the Home Secretary’s failure to make the promise sparked uproar in the Commons with MPs from all parties demanding the Government immediately reassure worried families.

Labour’s Brexit-backing, German-born Gisela Stuart blasted: “It’s deeply, deeply offensive to assume that this is a country that retrospectively changes the rights of its citizens.”

“It is a duty of a government to allow people to live and arrange their lives and be able to make predictions.”

Andy Burnham says Theresa May is undermining family life in this country

Immigration Minister James Brokenshire insisted the Government was not treating EU nationals as a bargaining tool – but added any guarantee could “prompt” an immigration surge.

He insisted Ministers were seeking the “best possible outcome for EU citizens here, as well as the 1.2 million British citizens who are in the European Union.”

But Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham – whose wife is Dutch – stormed: “My own kids would quite like their Mum to stay here forever if that’s OK with her (Theresa May).”

He blasted the Government for failing to instruct the civil service to prepare for a Brexit vote in the run-up to the Referendum.

Former frontbencher Yvette Cooper insisted it should be “sorted out” before MPs go off on their summer break later this month.

She said: “There are children in schools in tears because they fear they may have to leave.”

Tory Eurosceptic veteran Bill Cash said the Home Secretary’s refusal to guarantee the rights of EU nationals was “wholly inappropriate”.

Others said threatening the position of EU nationals could WEAKEN the hand of Brits living abroad.

Earlier yesterday, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said the future for EU nationals in the UK was part of a “whole range of issues that will need to be addressed” after a Brexit.

He said: “Those are the consequences of a decision to leave the EU.

“This is not something we’ve shied away from.

“We were clear in advance of the Referendum that it was an issue.”

And he added: “The decision will be the for the next Prime Minister and part of the discussions about how the UK leaves the European Union and what relationship we have with it in the future.”

Ex-Tory minister Sir Eric Pickles later told BBC2’s Newsnight he had heard   Mrs May say she “expected and hoped’’ EU citizens already here can remain.