The Prime Minister had a busy afternoon speaking with a host of world leaders yesterday, including two key European players. Upon becoming Prime Minister, Boris announced a commitment to unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU citizens currently living in the UK. May belatedly made the same pledge after years of facing accusations of using citizens as bargaining chips. It’s worth remembering that she was the only leadership candidate back in 2016 not to have made a unilateral pledge on the matter….

Now the supposedly benevolent EU that is refusing to make any kind of declaration on UK citizens living in its countries. But Boris’ unilateral gesture seems to be paying dividends. Upon speaking to the Prime Ministers of Belgium and Portugal yesterday, Boris reiterated his promise to the EU citizens in the UK and both European leaders individually said they were committed to doing the same for UK citizens living in their own countries, “whatever the circumstances”. May should have, as Vote Leave argued, taken this approach from the start…