Leading Brexiteer claims to have seen draft Brexit deal

Draft deal would grant voting rights to EU citizens

But MEPs warn this would hit Tories in elections

Sadiq Khan meets Michel Barnier in London

Asa Bennett: Few Brexiteers could do better job than May

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Giving EU citizens voting rights in Britain would push the “self-destruct button” on the Conservatives and condemn the party to wipeout in future local elections, Tory MEPs have claimed in leaked Whatsapp messages discussing Brexit.

Dan Hannan MEP, a leading Brexiteer, claimed he had seen “an extract” of a closely guarded draft Brexit withdrawal agreement, which is under negotiation by London and Brussels.

“Britain has decided to enfranchise all EU nationals (at least in England and Northern Ireland - it is devolved in Scotland and Wales). What an odd decision,” he wrote in leaked messages to a Conservative MEP WhatsApp group.

“Why offer a blanket deal instead of country by country bilaterals? For what it is worth, it will also significantly bolster the non-Tory electorate.”

“It’s madness Dan. Are we intent on damaging our own party’s vote?” wrote David Campbell-Bannerman, a former Ukip MEP who defected to the Tories.

In messages, obtained by The Telegraph, Amjad Bashir, the MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber wrote “I think the party is pressing the self-destruct button.

“We’ve already lost the Commonwealth vote and won’t win any votes from the new arrivals from the EU.”

The discussion was interrupted by one exasperated MEP, Jacqueline Foster, who wrote, “Would you mind having this discussion between yourselves.”

Mr Hannan told The Telegraph, “There is evidence that the enfranchisement of EU nationals has boosted the SNP in Scottish Parliament elections and Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

“It seems extraordinary that a Tory government is pushing for that right to be retained - not conceding it in return for something else, but actively pushing for it. From the start, these talks seem to have been led by Europhile officials rather than ministers,” he added.