British pro-Brexit campaigner applies for French residency

LONDON – A leading campaigner for Britain’s exit from the European Union was accused of hypocrisy Thursday after applying for permanent residency in France.

Former U.K. Treasury chief Nigel Lawson told English-language French newspaper The Connexion that he is applying for a permanent “carte de sejour,” or residency card. The 86-year-old former politician, father of celebrity cook Nigella Lawson, lives in southwest France.

Brexit will end the right of EU citizens to live in Britain and vice versa. Both Britain and the bloc say they want expats to retain their current rights, but questions remain over the status of 3 million EU nationals in the U.K. and 1 million Britons in other EU countries.

Lawson, who chaired Britain’s Vote Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum, said that “speaking as a Brit in France … I am not worried” about his status.

“I understand some people are worried about health-care cover and hope it will be sorted out,” he said.

Pro-EU group Best for Britain said Thursday that Lawson “looks like a hypocrite” for living in “his luxury home in France” as Brexit causes economic uncertainty in Britain.