Spain moves to ease Brexit problems for British residents

The Spanish government on Friday introduced plans to minimise the effect of a no-deal Brexit on British residents in Spain.

In attempting to help the 300,000 Brits living in Spain, Madrid also called on London to do the same for the 150,000 Spaniards resident in the United Kingdom.

May's government, however, has already said she will protect the rights of EU citizens in the UK come what may and has urged other countries in the bloc to do the same for Britons abroad.

The aim of the new Spanish measures, which will only be triggered if Britain drops out of the EU without a deal, is to ensure that "no British or Spanish citizen is left unprotected, neither them nor their family," Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo told reporters.

Spain has the largest British expat community in the EU.

Calvo said the measures concern areas such as residence, employment and healthcare, deemed "necessary to protect workers and retirees covered by the British and Spanish social security systems".

These ...