The Tory MP tore into Mr Gardiner saying the EU was to blame for not being ‘cooperative’ over citizens' rights, not the UK.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4, the Labour MP said: “Look, I don’t think you treat people as trade-offs. I have to laugh at what Theresa was saying about 'as soon as possible'.

“This was something that the Prime Minister said right at the time of triggering Article 50 that it was number one on the agenda, that it had to be resolved basically within a matter of weeks.

“And it was simple that it was going to be done, it has not been done.”

Mrs Villiers cut in: “If it had been down to us it would have been resolved within a matter of weeks, it’s the EU that’s been putting it off.”

She added: “And the UK’s negotiating position is very positive in terms of tackling this problem of EU nationals living here who want to be away for a while and come back. 

“We would like them to retain this freedom but the EU is not being cooperative in relation to giving that freedom to UK nationals living in the EU.”

A leading business professor has warned the European Union has “every interest” to give Britain a bad Brexit deal in order to deter other countries from leaving the bloc.

Professor Fariborz Moshirian said the European Union could make Brexit negotiations “difficult” in order to make an example of Britain.  

The EU has refused to move forward on to trade talks until progress is made on key Brexit issues - including the Irish border, the Brexit divorce bill, and citizens’ rights. 

Theresa May is set to meet key EU figures on Monday to establish whether enough progress has been made to move onto the second stage of negotiations. 

EU leaders will decide whether significant progress has been made on these key Brexit issues at the European Council summit this month