Government aide quits over bid to guarantee EU citizens' rights after Brexit

Alberto Costa, whose parents are Italian, resigned as parliamentary private secretary to Scottish Secretary David Mundell after tabling an amendment to the Government's Brexit business in the Commons. He had called on the Government and Brussels to make a joint commitment to protect the rights of EU and UK ex-pats regardless of whether Britain leaves with or without a deal. Labour accused the Prime Minister of sacking the South Leicestershire MP, but Downing Street insisted he had no option but to stand down. A spokesman for Mrs May said: “He's resigned from the Government. There's a long-standing convention that members of the Government payroll don't table amendments to government bills.