European citizens living in Britain after Brexit should remain under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, according to remarkable proposals tabled by senior European Commission negotiators, the Telegraph has learned.

The radical idea - which is certain to be rejected by Britain - was set out at a meeting between Michel Barnier, the chief European Commission negotiator and officials from the 27 other EU member states, according to an EU diplomat familiar with the discussions.

"The European Commission legal service was of the view that a political declaration on the rights of EU citizens in the UK would not be enough and that EU law must be available to EU citizens after Brexit, under the jurisdiction of the ECJ," said the source.

The meeting at which Mr Barnier and officials from the EU 27 met to talk over Brexit tactics discussed at considerable length how the rights of the estimated three million EU citizens living in the UK should be protected after Brexit.