EU stalling Brexit talks ‘by pulling a fast one on voting rights for UK citizens left in Europe’

BRITAIN has accused the EU of stalling Brexit talks by refusing to give UK citizens in Europe voting rights, The Sun can reveal.

Brussels negotiators have insisted the issue is up to individual EU member states, despite a generous offer from London to let all Europeans living in the UK vote.

And the hypocritical approach of the European Commission was exposed after European capitals revealed they had been told the exact opposite – that voting rights was an issue decided centrally, by Brussels.

The catch-22 stumbling block came to light after Brexit Secretary David Davis finished off another round of charm-offensive talks with European capitals – in Rome and Warsaw.

But the row threatens to overshadow Round Six of talks that begin in Brussels on Thursday.

Deputy leader of Tory MEPs Jacqueline Foster said: “The UK set out a fair and reasonable offer on citizens’ rights, which is nearly ready to be signed.

“One of the remaining issues is the right to vote and stand in elections – but there seems to be a catch-22. The Commission says it’s for the Member States to sort out, but tell the Member States they shouldn’t talk to the Brits.”

A UK Government source said: “We benefit from having a single negotiating partner in the Commission, and don’t want to change that; but if bilateral talks are what’s required to get people the right to vote, some flexibility will be required.”

Britain’s Brexit negotiators will refuse to address the divorce bill in Thursday’s talks – the key stumbling block preventing progress to agreeing a future trading deal.

They will instead leave the issue to Theresa May when she meets fellow EU heads of state at a crunch summit next month and use Thursday and Friday's meetings to hammer out agreements on EU citizens’ rights.

A government source said: “We’re not going to be turning around and saying here’s more money – we’re not bringing anything to the table on money.” Yesterday the Irish PM said it’s “likely” that EU leaders will give the go-ahead for Brexit talks to proceed to the next phase – the future trading relationship – at December’s summit.

He spoke as the EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told MPs on the Commons Brexit committee that he doesn’t expect a new UK-EU trade deal will be agreed until the end of 2020.

But he told the MPs that he wants to “move forward as fast as possible given the short amount of time.”