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| MPs react strongly after post-Brexit immigration plans leaked | MPs react strongly after post-Brexit immigration plans leaked |
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| Theresa May’s plans for a post-Brexit immigration system, leaked to the Guardian, triggered sharp responses across the parliamentary divide with some MPs criticising it as a “mean and cynical approach” and others saying it was the right response to the Brexit vote. | Theresa May’s plans for a post-Brexit immigration system, leaked to the Guardian, triggered sharp responses across the parliamentary divide with some MPs criticising it as a “mean and cynical approach” and others saying it was the right response to the Brexit vote. |
| Yvette Cooper said the home affairs select committee, which she chairs, would be demanding answers from ministers following the leak because it suggested the government was not prepared to wait and listen to independent advice on the issue. | Yvette Cooper said the home affairs select committee, which she chairs, would be demanding answers from ministers following the leak because it suggested the government was not prepared to wait and listen to independent advice on the issue. |
| “This document seems to contradict the home secretary’s decision just over a month ago to ask the Migration Advisory Committee to provide all the evidence to underpin a new immigration policy,” Cooper said. | “This document seems to contradict the home secretary’s decision just over a month ago to ask the Migration Advisory Committee to provide all the evidence to underpin a new immigration policy,” Cooper said. |
| “Why have they asked the MAC to do a major programme of work if they have already decided what they want to do?” she added, saying there were rumours that No 10 disagreed with the decision to commission the independent review. | “Why have they asked the MAC to do a major programme of work if they have already decided what they want to do?” she added, saying there were rumours that No 10 disagreed with the decision to commission the independent review. |
| Cooper argued that the government’s process for developing policy was “completely confused” and asked if any assessment had been made about the relationship between immigration proposals and any trade or single market deal. | Cooper argued that the government’s process for developing policy was “completely confused” and asked if any assessment had been made about the relationship between immigration proposals and any trade or single market deal. |
| There was also an immediate response from Europe with Elmar Brok, the German MEP who is one of the European parliament’s Brexit officials, warning it would deepen mistrust at a key point of the negotiations. | There was also an immediate response from Europe with Elmar Brok, the German MEP who is one of the European parliament’s Brexit officials, warning it would deepen mistrust at a key point of the negotiations. |
| He told the Guardian that the “harsh language”, the March 2019 start date, as well as time limits on skilled and unskilled workers showed “there is not any sensitivity about this issue when we talk about the rights of citizens”. | He told the Guardian that the “harsh language”, the March 2019 start date, as well as time limits on skilled and unskilled workers showed “there is not any sensitivity about this issue when we talk about the rights of citizens”. |
| “This will increase the lack of credibility and deepen mistrust,” added Brok, suggesting the proposals would make it harder to reach agreement on the Brexit divorce by October. | “This will increase the lack of credibility and deepen mistrust,” added Brok, suggesting the proposals would make it harder to reach agreement on the Brexit divorce by October. |
| Others tore into the content of the plans. Alison McGovern MP, a leading supporter of Open Britain who also co-chairs the Labour campaign for the single market, said the economy had benefited massively from contributions of EU citizens, citing 60,000 working in the NHS alone. | Others tore into the content of the plans. Alison McGovern MP, a leading supporter of Open Britain who also co-chairs the Labour campaign for the single market, said the economy had benefited massively from contributions of EU citizens, citing 60,000 working in the NHS alone. |
| “This leaked document is part and parcel of a mean and cynical approach which is already deterring people from coming here,” she said. | “This leaked document is part and parcel of a mean and cynical approach which is already deterring people from coming here,” she said. |
| But Charlie Elphicke, the Conservative MP for Dover, said there had been a “clear instruction from the British people to take back control of our borders and end uncontrolled EU immigration” in the 2016 referendum. | But Charlie Elphicke, the Conservative MP for Dover, said there had been a “clear instruction from the British people to take back control of our borders and end uncontrolled EU immigration” in the 2016 referendum. |
| Elphicke, who campaigned for remain in the referendum but is now part of the Tory backbench group pushing for Brexit to be fully delivered, said voters wanted a robust approach and feared that low-skilled migrants had pushed down their wages. | Elphicke, who campaigned for remain in the referendum but is now part of the Tory backbench group pushing for Brexit to be fully delivered, said voters wanted a robust approach and feared that low-skilled migrants had pushed down their wages. |
| “We want to attract the best and the brightest. Yet we must listen to working people’s just concerns and tackle unsustainable levels of immigration.” | “We want to attract the best and the brightest. Yet we must listen to working people’s just concerns and tackle unsustainable levels of immigration.” |
| Labour’s Frank Field, who chairs the work and pensions select committee and has campaigned for balanced migration, agreed and said his party would benefit from embracing the proposals. | Labour’s Frank Field, who chairs the work and pensions select committee and has campaigned for balanced migration, agreed and said his party would benefit from embracing the proposals. |
| “If we’d had this policy at the last election, Labour would have romped home,” he said. “It would have given employment opportunities to huge swaths of younger unemployed or casual workers. | |
| “It would also have started a new contract with our voters. We need to pinch the leak.” | |
| Labour’s frontbench response came from shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, who said the leak was “not yet government policy” and her party would judge it against criteria laid down if it became that. | Labour’s frontbench response came from shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, who said the leak was “not yet government policy” and her party would judge it against criteria laid down if it became that. |
| “Labour wants fair rules and reasonable management of migration in accordance with the needs of our economy and our values as a party,” she added. However, Abbott has argued strongly that her party should hold its nerve over the issue of immigration. | “Labour wants fair rules and reasonable management of migration in accordance with the needs of our economy and our values as a party,” she added. However, Abbott has argued strongly that her party should hold its nerve over the issue of immigration. |
| London’s mayor Sadiq Khan said the plan “read like a blueprint on how to strangle [the capital’s] economy”. In a statement he said: “The government’s plans for an extreme form of hard Brexit have been revealed tonight in a leaked Home Office document. | London’s mayor Sadiq Khan said the plan “read like a blueprint on how to strangle [the capital’s] economy”. In a statement he said: “The government’s plans for an extreme form of hard Brexit have been revealed tonight in a leaked Home Office document. |
| “It reads like a blueprint on how to strangle London’s economy, which would be devastating not just for our city but for the whole country. It risks thousands of families being split up. | “It reads like a blueprint on how to strangle London’s economy, which would be devastating not just for our city but for the whole country. It risks thousands of families being split up. |
| “I respect the outcome of the EU referendum, but the British people did not vote to make our country and future generations poorer.” | “I respect the outcome of the EU referendum, but the British people did not vote to make our country and future generations poorer.” |
| Other opposition parties reacted angrily to the leak, with the Scottish National party leader in Westminster, Ian Blackford, calling it a “disgrace” that would placate Brexiters but “destroy any shred of goodwill with our European partners during a crucial time of the exit negotiations”. | |
| Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat’s home affairs spokesman, added: “First they send EU citizens deportation letters, now they are plotting to keep out all Europeans bar footballers and brain surgeons.” | |
| The Green party co-leader Caroline Lucas described it as “economically illiterate and cruel”. | The Green party co-leader Caroline Lucas described it as “economically illiterate and cruel”. |
| And campaigners for EU citizens’ rights said they were also shocked by the document, which they said showed that the government had an advanced plan to apply its “hostile environment” to Europeans post Brexit. | And campaigners for EU citizens’ rights said they were also shocked by the document, which they said showed that the government had an advanced plan to apply its “hostile environment” to Europeans post Brexit. |
| Immigration barrister Colin Yeo, who is a specialist on the EU citizens negotiations, predicted “retaliation” from the EU which would then impact negatively on the 1.2 million UK citizens living in Europe. Yeo said the document gave credence to the suspicion that “some at the Home Office seem to see Brexit as an opportunity to isolate the UK from the EU”. | |
| “It’s really shocking how much detail has been put into the plan to stop migrants from the EU after Brexit,” said Nicolas Hatton, co-founder of the3million, which campaigns for EU citizens living in Britain. | “It’s really shocking how much detail has been put into the plan to stop migrants from the EU after Brexit,” said Nicolas Hatton, co-founder of the3million, which campaigns for EU citizens living in Britain. |
| “This will not do any good in terms of reassuring EU citizens currently that the Home Office wants them to stay.” | “This will not do any good in terms of reassuring EU citizens currently that the Home Office wants them to stay.” |