The big name Brexiteers wanted to guarantee EU immigrants' rights unilaterally, but May felt that would be putting British emigrants in the EU at risk so she held back and asked for a quick deal last summer. But Merkle said no, it all had to wait until the main Brexit talks. The best we have been able to achieve to date is getting the people talks at the start of the main negotiation, but the EU insistence that 'nothing is decided until everything is decided' means everyone effected has two more years of uncertainty.

The problem is not anyone being deported - that really is not going to happen on either side. It mostly is about stuff like health care and social security entitlement, who can appeal to the ECJ - boring but important stuff like that.