Brexit: Alex Salmond slams Government for allowing foreign bankers to stay in UK but not other EU nationals
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Version 0 of 1. Alex Salmond has condemned the Government for planning to let bankers stay in Britain after Brexit – but not other “hard-working” EU nationals. The SNP leader spoke out in the House of Commons after Chancellor Philip Hammond hinted that workers in financial services would be offered a special deal, to protect the City. At the same time, the Government has refused to guarantee that all 3.6 million EU nationals currently living in the UK will have the right to stay after Brexit. And Theresa May has made ending freedom of movement for EU citizens a red line in her withdrawal negotiations. During Brexit questions, Mr Salmond said: “Why was the Chancellor yesterday, in front of the Treasury Committee, able to give an unambiguous guarantee about the travel and residential rights of bankers that he is not prepared to give to our hard-working fellow European citizens?” In response, Robin Walker, a minister in the Department for Exiting the European Union, said Mr Hammond had only acknowledged the he would “advocate on this in the policy discussions to come”. The Chancellor said Brexit had not been a vote to limit highly-skilled staff such as “computer programmers, brain surgeons, banker, senior managers”. |