UK Gov't Uses Migrant Issue as 'Bargaining Chip' at Brexit Talks With EU - Mayor

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan accused UK government on Tuesday of using migrants living and working in the country as a "bargaining chip" at the talks with the European Unions on Brexit.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, Khan spoke at a Labour Party conference and slammed the government for its migration policy as well as the previous party leadership for the failure to win the general election last year.

"With Labour out of power we have just been through a divisive and bruising EU referendum campaign. With Labour out of power, the future of EU citizens in Britain – who came here because they want to work and contribute – is being used as a bargaining chip. Well that’s wrong and the Government should be ashamed," Khan said at the conference.

Khan added that European migrants were "welcome" in the United Kingdom and thanked them for "a massive" economic, social and cultural contribution to the country.

On June 23, the nationwide referendum on EU membership was held in the United Kingdom, in which 51.9 percent of voters supported the country leaving the bloc. Brexit supporters have used the migration issue as one of the main arguments to persuade people to vote for leaving the European bloc.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May said in late August that curbing migration would be her "absolute priority." In September, UK Home Minister Amber Rudd confirmed government's intention to reduce the number of migrants from the European Union to the tens of thousands.