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Theresa May will vow to strengthen legal protection for EU citizens in the UK in a bid to push forward with crucial Brexit negotiations.

The Prime Minister will use her landmark keynote speech in the Italian city of Florence to answer Brussels’ demand for Britain’s 3 million EU nationals to have their current rights as UK residents protected.

Officials have called on the Government to ensure they are covered by the European Court of Justice, the Financial Times reported.

However, Mrs May’s aides have previously said UK courts will not necessarily enforce the rights of EU citizens when Britain quits the bloc.

Instead, it has been suggested that parliament will make the relevant terms of the exit treaty directly enforceable in UK courts.

The speech comes just three months into negotiations which have reached a stalemate over citizens’ rights and Britain’s exit bill.

The Prime Minister is also expected to set out her plan for the transitional period from the formal date of Brexit in March 2019 before moving to a permanent trade deal.

Mrs May is thought to be considering offering to pay 20 billion euro (£17.6 billion) over the two-year period to secure a good trade deal and brush off Brussels' concerns about the potential hole in its current budget caused by the UK's exit.

She will tell European leaders they have a "profound sense of responsibility" to agree good terms but will stress her willingness to walk away with no deal rather than accept a "bad deal" from Brussels.

The Prime Minister will say that if a deal can be reached "then when this chapter of our European history is written, it will be remembered not for the differences we faced, but for the vision we showed" and "not for a relationship that ended but a new partnership that began".

Brexit: Article 50 Triggered - In pictures 20 show all Brexit: Article 50 Triggered - In pictures 1/20 Britain's ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow delivers British Prime Minister Theresa May's formal notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels AFP/Getty Images 2/20 Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Common PA 3/20 Britain's ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow delivers British Prime Minister Theresa May's formal notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels AFP/Getty Images 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 European Council President Donald Tusk holds a news conference after receiving British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit letter in notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to EU Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels, Belgium Yves Herman/Reuters 8/20 Prime Minister Theresa May takes her seat after announcing in the House of Commons PA 9/20 The time 12:20pm shows on Big Ben on March 29, 2017 in London, England. The British Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the Houses of Parliament as Article 50 is triggered and the process that will take the United Kingdom out of the European Union begins Carl Court/Getty Images 10/20 D-day: pro-EU protesters outside of the Houses of Parliament today as Theresa May prepares to trigger Article 50 AFP/Getty Images 11/20 EU Council President Donald Tusk holds British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit letter which was delivered by Britain's permanent representative to the European Union Tim Barrow (not pictured) that gives notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty in Brussels, Belgium Yves Herman/Reuters 12/20 PMQ's in The House of Commons PA 13/20 Jeremy Corbyn speaking at PMQ's in The House of Commons Sky News 14/20 Theresa May leaving for the House of Commons Jeremy Selwyn 15/20 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan at the headquarters of Vivendi in Paris where he took part in TV interviews to discuss the imminent triggering of Article 50 by the UK to leave the EU Stefan Rousseau/PA 16/20 Britain's permanent representative to the European Union Tim Barrow arrives at the EU Council headquarters for as meeting before hand delivering British Prime Minister Theresa May's notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to EU Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels, Belgium Yves Herman/Reuters 17/20 Britain's ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow arrives at the British representation of the European Union in Brussels Aurore Belot/AFP/Getty Images 18/20 A giant headed Theresa May in Parliament Square, London during a protest by Avaaz after PM signed a letter to trigger Article 50 that starts the formal exit process by the UK from the European Union David Mirzoeff/PA 19/20 British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson walks down Whitehall Jack Taylor/Getty Images 20/20 Britain's PM Theresa May signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk, invoking Article 50. AFP/Getty Images 1/20 Britain's ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow delivers British Prime Minister Theresa May's formal notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels AFP/Getty Images 2/20 Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Common PA 3/20 Britain's ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow delivers British Prime Minister Theresa May's formal notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels AFP/Getty Images 4/20 5/20 6/20 7/20 European Council President Donald Tusk holds a news conference after receiving British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit letter in notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to EU Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels, Belgium Yves Herman/Reuters 8/20 Prime Minister Theresa May takes her seat after announcing in the House of Commons PA 9/20 The time 12:20pm shows on Big Ben on March 29, 2017 in London, England. The British Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the Houses of Parliament as Article 50 is triggered and the process that will take the United Kingdom out of the European Union begins Carl Court/Getty Images 10/20 D-day: pro-EU protesters outside of the Houses of Parliament today as Theresa May prepares to trigger Article 50 AFP/Getty Images 11/20 EU Council President Donald Tusk holds British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit letter which was delivered by Britain's permanent representative to the European Union Tim Barrow (not pictured) that gives notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty in Brussels, Belgium Yves Herman/Reuters 12/20 PMQ's in The House of Commons PA 13/20 Jeremy Corbyn speaking at PMQ's in The House of Commons Sky News 14/20 Theresa May leaving for the House of Commons Jeremy Selwyn 15/20 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan at the headquarters of Vivendi in Paris where he took part in TV interviews to discuss the imminent triggering of Article 50 by the UK to leave the EU Stefan Rousseau/PA 16/20 Britain's permanent representative to the European Union Tim Barrow arrives at the EU Council headquarters for as meeting before hand delivering British Prime Minister Theresa May's notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to EU Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels, Belgium Yves Herman/Reuters 17/20 Britain's ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow arrives at the British representation of the European Union in Brussels Aurore Belot/AFP/Getty Images 18/20 A giant headed Theresa May in Parliament Square, London during a protest by Avaaz after PM signed a letter to trigger Article 50 that starts the formal exit process by the UK from the European Union David Mirzoeff/PA 19/20 British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson walks down Whitehall Jack Taylor/Getty Images 20/20 Britain's PM Theresa May signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk, invoking Article 50. AFP/Getty Images

And will add: "The eyes of the world are on us but if we can be imaginative and creative about the way we establish this new relationship ... I believe we can be optimistic about the future we can build for the United Kingdom and for the European Union."

In an optimistic message about the strength of the UK, the Prime Minister will use her speech to insist that "Britain's future is bright".

"Our fundamental strengths are considerable," she will say, including "a legal system respected around the world; a keen openness to foreign investment; and enthusiasm for innovation; an ease of doing business; some of the best universities and researchers you can find anywhere; an exceptional national talent for creativity; and an indomitable spirit".

The landmark speech comes as an opinion poll suggested a majority of Britons now back staying in the European Union - with 52 per cent in favour of remaining part of the bloc.

On Thursday, the EU's leading Brexit negotiator warned the UK’s stance over a key issues in talks are shrouded with “major uncertainty”.

Michel Barnier, told the Italian parliament in Rome that British politicians must work to build trust with EU chiefs and progress must be made if the UK is to enjoy a “solid relationship” post Brexit.

He said: "All that is necessary in this negotiation is that everyone honours the commitments that they have made to each other. To settle the accounts. No more, no less.

"Beyond money, this is a question of trust between the 27 and the United Kingdom, based on the respect of one's signature.

"Everyone knows that we will need this trust to create a solid relationship in the future."