The Liberal Democrats have criticised Bassetlaw MP John Mann for voting against the right of thousands of EU nationals in Bassetlaw to stay on Monday evening, as a majority of MPs gave the final go-ahead to a hard Brexit.

There are 2902 residents from elsewhere in the EU living in Bassetlaw.

This includes many staff from the EU working at Bassetlaw Hospital, including doctors and nurses

Last night MPs overturned amendments backed by the Liberal Democrats to give Parliament a vote on the terms of the deal and to guarantee the right of EU nationals to stay after Brexit.

Local Lib Dem Spokesperson Leon Duveen commented:

“On this historic occasion, John Mann has chosen to support a hard Brexit and to vote against giving EU nationals living here the right to stay.

“This is a betrayal of the hundreds of people from the EU in Bassetlaw) as well as their friends, colleagues and neighbours.

“The many of local nurses and doctors from the EU are already worried about their futures here, this vote sends them completely the wrong signal at a time when our NHS is already facing huge pressures.  At a time when services at Bassetlaw Hospital are being cut because of staff shortages, telling staff from the EU that they are not welcome here is short sighted and damaging to our health care.

“This shows you can’t have a hard Brexit and a strong NHS.

“Unlike our MP, the Liberal Democrats will keep fighting to give EU nationals living in Bassetlaw the certainty they deserve and to stand up against a damaging hard Brexit.”