Lutterworth MP resigns from Government over Brexit ammendment

Alberto Costa, the Conservative MP for South Leicestershire, has been forced out of his job in the Government as parliamentary private secretary to the Scotland secretary, David Mundell. He will continue to sit as a Tory MP.

He had tabled an amendment calling on May to seek an urgent meeting with the EU to secure the rights of EU citizens in the UK and British nationals settled in the EU, whatever the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

The amendment was subsequently backed by the Home Secretary Sajid Javid, and apparently around 60 Tory MPs, as well as members of other parties and the new Independent Group. The amendment had support from all sides of the Brexit argument, including Jacob Rees-Mogg and Dominic Raab as well as the DUP, Jeremy Corbyn and Chuka Umunna.

But Theresa May branded it as unworkable stating in Parliament on Tuesday that the EU had “legal authority” to do a deal on citizens’ rights without the permission of the other 27 member states. Mr Costa had pointed out that all the PM had to do was go to the Council of the Europe Union (made up of national Governments of EU states) and ask them to give the EU Commission the power to deal with the matter.