Theresa May has refused to rule out making it easier for EU citizens to come to the UK after Brexit than it is for people from elsewhere in the world.
Under her plan for UK-EU relations – agreed by cabinet on Friday – unlimited immigration from the EU will end.
But speaking to the BBC, Mrs May did not rule out preferential treatment for EU citizens after Brexit.
“We recognise that people will still want to have opportunities in each other’s countries,” she said.
But a briefing being circulated to the European Research Group (ERG) – a group of Eurosceptic Conservative backbench MPs – says the prime minister’s plan “would lead directly to a worst-of-all-worlds black hole Brexit”.
The 18-page document expresses concern the UK would have to follow EU laws and European Court of Justice rulings and would not be able to develop an “effective international trade policy”.