Brexit: Downing Street yet to decide on free movement of EU citizens in case of no-deal

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The “work is ongoing”, Theresa May’s spokesman said, after the home secretary and a senior Home Office civil servant contradicted each other within 24 hours. Sajid Javid said there would have to be “sensible transition period” during which new EU arrivals could continue to work – one day after his official said free movement would be “turned off”. Asked which was correct, the spokesman said: “The work is ongoing and we will set out the details in due course.” Privately, ministers are believed to accept that it is inevitable that free movement would have to continue, because it will be impossible to quickly bring down the shutters. I mean, these are the kinds of things I’ve been working on for months and months.” The No 10 spokesman denied Mr Javid and his top civil servant had contradicted each other, saying: “Planning for a no-deal outcome is ongoing and we will be able to set out the government’s position in due course.” He declined to say that work would be done by the end of the year, but claimed: “No-deal preparations are continuing at pace.”