A Labour motion in support of EU migrants in the UK, which won the backing of Boris Johnson, has passed comfortably in the Commons.

The shadow home secretary, Andy Burnham, called on Conservatives to vote with Labour on the motion, which asked the government to “commit today that EU nationals currently living in the UK shall have the right to remain”. The motion passed by 245 votes to two after the government abstained.

Burnham said it would send a strong message to EU migrants and ramp up the pressure on Theresa May. The home secretary has so far refused to guarantee that EU nationals will have full rights to remain in the UK.

May has previously said the status of EU migrants was an issue for Brexit negotiations, and rights of UK citizens living in Europe also needed to be guaranteed first.

Johnson, who was heckled in the Commons as he stood to speak, said he wanted to “set on record that the Vote Leave campaign gave exactly this reassurance to people living and working here, and it is very disappointing this should be called into question.



“It is absolutely right to issue the strongest possible reassurance to EU nationals in this country, not just for moral or humanitarian reasons but for very strong economic reasons too,” he said.



“They are welcome, they are necessary, and they are a crucial part of our society and I will be passionately supporting this motion tonight.”

We did it! Commons votes by 245-2 to secure status of EU nationals in the UK. Govt can't now retreat on this. Thanks to everyone who helped. — Andy Burnham (@andyburnhammp) July 6, 2016

John Redwood, a leading Eurosceptic, expressed hope that Labour’s motion “would not be opposed”, though the opposition day debate and vote is non-binding and has no effect on government policy

Burnham, whose wife is Dutch, said the issue would “directly affect the lives of millions of people living in this country”.

He said: “To throw any doubt over their right to remain here is to undermine family life, the stability of our public services, our economy and our society. But sadly it is what the home secretary has done.”

Burnham said any post-Brexit immigration rush to Britain to secure rights to remain could be avoided if it was made clear that the qualifier would be to have been resident before 23 June.

He called on the Tory benches to defy the home secretary’s position, saying May’s comments may have been made “to woo the grassroots of the Tory party” in the leadership election.

“If there is ever a day for parliament to do the right thing, surely it is today. I would hope members opposite put their conscience first, their constituents first and do the right thing tonight,” he said, calling it “a step back to sanity and stability [to] pass this motion overwhelmingly”.

The Labour MP Andrew Slaughter said May’s refusal to guarantee the rights of EU citizens was “one of the most extreme statements” he had heard made by a home secretary.

“If they can say this about one group they can say it about others, I’ve had a bigger postbag on this issue than on any other ever,” he said.

The Home Office minister James Brokenshire said the government could not support the motion, and it was important to fight for the rights of UK citizens abroad. “Any decision to preempt negotiations risks undermining our ability to secure the rights of UK nationals and EU nationals,” he said.

He denied EU nationals were being used as bargaining chips. “We will never treat EU citizens as pawns in some kind of cynical game of EU negotiation chess.” It would be a priority to secure “a fair deal for EU citizens as we look to secure a fair deal for British citizens in the EU”, he added, but he stopped short of guaranteeing one without the other.

“That is the responsible approach and that is what we will do. We want to be able to guarantee the legal status of EU nationals living in the UK. I am confident we will be able to do just that,” Brokenshire said.

After the motion passed, Burnham said: “The House of Commons has sent an overwhelming message of support tonight to EU nationals that they are valued members of our society and welcome to stay.

“Today’s debate exposed the weakness of the government’s position. MPs firmly rejected Theresa May’s decision to link the status of EU nationals with British nationals living elsewhere in Europe.

“Speaker after speaker said it could only strengthen the status of British nationals abroad if the UK made a clear and quick decision about the status of EU nationals here.”

“It was disappointing that someone who is seeking to lead our nation failed to turn up to the debate and provide the leadership that the country is currently crying out for.

“This vote was a victory for common sense and decency. With this emphatic result, it is impossible to see how the government can now reverse what is the clear will of the House of Commons. Theresa May should accept the decision of the House and confirm that legal status of EU nationals without delay.”