“Are you seriously suggesting that we might go back on our word if the EU does not give similar assurances to Brits on the Costa del Sol?”
I’m not suggesting anything at all, Gromit. On this particular issue I fully expect, exceptionally for politicians (especially those from the EU), that common sense will prevail and that those people who have already taken advantage of their EU rights to settle anywhere in the bloc, will be permitted to remain where they are. It is my own preferred option because, as firm as I am on Leaving, I (along with most Leavers) do not want to see wholesale enforced repatriations in either direction. However, if the EU was so foolish as to insist on compulsory repatriations of UK citizens from the EU I would not expect the UK to simply say “Oh, all right then”.
“Associate citizenship of the EU is to be 'Fast Tracked' for UK citizens 'post Brexit'. “
You will note that “Associate citizenship” is in inverted commas, Eddie. The deal being discussed is not citizenship because, much as it would like us to think it has, the EU does not have its own citizenship to offer, either associate or otherwise. The proposal is simply a deal for UK citizens who wish to pay for it to retain some rights that they currently have as a citizen of an EU member nation. Good luck to them if that’s what they want. I personally would not give the EU a single penny of my hard-earned voluntarily and so long as the facility is not made available the other way round (i.e. to let citizens of the remaining EU nations have their EU rights extended to the UK) them I’m not fussed.