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Tories target migrants getting benefits Tories target migrants getting benefits
(7 months later)
The government is locked in a fight with the EU over restricting access to benefits in the UK, the work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith said on Sunday.The government is locked in a fight with the EU over restricting access to benefits in the UK, the work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith said on Sunday.
He also disclosed that he wants some EU citizens to be entitled to benefits only if they have been resident in the UK for at least a year, as opposed to the current three months. The idea is one of a number being discussed with David Cameron and highlighted as battle lines are drawn for the Eastleigh byelection. The Labour leader Ed Miliband dismissed the plans as "windy rhetoric".He also disclosed that he wants some EU citizens to be entitled to benefits only if they have been resident in the UK for at least a year, as opposed to the current three months. The idea is one of a number being discussed with David Cameron and highlighted as battle lines are drawn for the Eastleigh byelection. The Labour leader Ed Miliband dismissed the plans as "windy rhetoric".
Theresa May, the home secretary, added to the tough mood by saying she would pass new laws if necessary to stop judges blocking the deportation of foreign criminals. She said some judges seemed to believe they could ignore parliament's wishes, specifically over the right to family life as enshrined in the European convention on human rights.Theresa May, the home secretary, added to the tough mood by saying she would pass new laws if necessary to stop judges blocking the deportation of foreign criminals. She said some judges seemed to believe they could ignore parliament's wishes, specifically over the right to family life as enshrined in the European convention on human rights.
The prime minister is to discuss the issues at an election strategy meeting in Chequers on Thursday, along with the chancellor George Osborne, his pollster Lynton Crosby and communications director Craig Oliver.The prime minister is to discuss the issues at an election strategy meeting in Chequers on Thursday, along with the chancellor George Osborne, his pollster Lynton Crosby and communications director Craig Oliver.
The group are looking at welfare, migration, benefit and the road to the 2015 election. Cameron has been highlighting these classic Tory issues in the Eastleigh byelection campaign in what is being seen as an effort to shore up the core Tory vote ahead of the poll on 28 February.The group are looking at welfare, migration, benefit and the road to the 2015 election. Cameron has been highlighting these classic Tory issues in the Eastleigh byelection campaign in what is being seen as an effort to shore up the core Tory vote ahead of the poll on 28 February.
Duncan Smith, speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, referred to the need to tighten the habitual residency test, one of the main gateways whereby EU and other citizens are granted access to UK benefits, such as for housing, unemployment, sickness and disability.Duncan Smith, speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, referred to the need to tighten the habitual residency test, one of the main gateways whereby EU and other citizens are granted access to UK benefits, such as for housing, unemployment, sickness and disability.
Some benefits may be classified as "contributory", he said, suggesting that individuals may be entitled to receive payments only if they had first paid enough tax and national insurance. "These are areas we're tightening up before this starts next year, and I believe we will be able to tighten this up," he said.Some benefits may be classified as "contributory", he said, suggesting that individuals may be entitled to receive payments only if they had first paid enough tax and national insurance. "These are areas we're tightening up before this starts next year, and I believe we will be able to tighten this up," he said.
The EU requires citizens to be given automatic access in all states to safety net provisions. But there is a dispute between the UK and the EU as to how benefits should be classified as safety net provisions, especially means-tested benefits.The EU requires citizens to be given automatic access in all states to safety net provisions. But there is a dispute between the UK and the EU as to how benefits should be classified as safety net provisions, especially means-tested benefits.
The habitually resident test is currently loosely defined, but it appears Duncan Smith would like to change this. He said: "We're looking at the way we apply some of those benefits – for example, whether or not they are contributory benefits; whether we can enlarge that process; and whether or not those individuals, we can lengthen the time that we look at in terms of their leasing arrangements – for example, is it feasible for us to look at whether somebody has a leasing arrangement lasting nine months, a year, rather than just a matter of months."The habitually resident test is currently loosely defined, but it appears Duncan Smith would like to change this. He said: "We're looking at the way we apply some of those benefits – for example, whether or not they are contributory benefits; whether we can enlarge that process; and whether or not those individuals, we can lengthen the time that we look at in terms of their leasing arrangements – for example, is it feasible for us to look at whether somebody has a leasing arrangement lasting nine months, a year, rather than just a matter of months."
Duncan Smith said he would like to have tighter restrictions in place before Bulgaria and Romania are given full access to the EU next year. He said the proposals would lead to a big fight with the EU, but said he had the support of the Dutch and Scandinavians to fend off EU efforts to control access to welfare under free movement of workers. He said the UK will be recording the number of migrants coming to the EU, something he claimed Labour had failed to do.Duncan Smith said he would like to have tighter restrictions in place before Bulgaria and Romania are given full access to the EU next year. He said the proposals would lead to a big fight with the EU, but said he had the support of the Dutch and Scandinavians to fend off EU efforts to control access to welfare under free movement of workers. He said the UK will be recording the number of migrants coming to the EU, something he claimed Labour had failed to do.
Miliband said the government should concentrate on action against rogue employers who exploited cheap labour rather than "windy rhetoric" about challenging EU rules on welfare claims.Miliband said the government should concentrate on action against rogue employers who exploited cheap labour rather than "windy rhetoric" about challenging EU rules on welfare claims.
"I think that the way you should always approach these issues is talk about what you can do, don't start floating things unless you know that they are actually possible to be done," he said."I think that the way you should always approach these issues is talk about what you can do, don't start floating things unless you know that they are actually possible to be done," he said.
But Duncan Smith said: "We think, all of us – those Northern European countries – we need to tighten up. So we've got a number of countries on our side and I think we will be able to tighten up and make those regulations much tougher for people coming in just to take advantage of our benefit system."But Duncan Smith said: "We think, all of us – those Northern European countries – we need to tighten up. So we've got a number of countries on our side and I think we will be able to tighten up and make those regulations much tougher for people coming in just to take advantage of our benefit system."
He also said he would like to end the practice whereby any non-UK EU claimant can in certain circumstances transfer child benefit claimed in the UK, if working in the country, and if the benefit is higher than that provided in their country of origin, they can retain the surplus and send it back to their family. "If it's a higher figure, the net figure is then transferred across to their family in that country. Do I agree with that? Absolutely not. Does the government agree with that? No."He also said he would like to end the practice whereby any non-UK EU claimant can in certain circumstances transfer child benefit claimed in the UK, if working in the country, and if the benefit is higher than that provided in their country of origin, they can retain the surplus and send it back to their family. "If it's a higher figure, the net figure is then transferred across to their family in that country. Do I agree with that? Absolutely not. Does the government agree with that? No."
Duncan Smith added: "There's a big issue here for us, for countries that have big and good support for children, like we do and Germany does. We're already on that case and we're trying to reverse and to change that process." The Conservatives were forced on to the defensive over their Eastleigh byelection campaign after surgeons and GPs signed a letter condemning Maria Hutchings, the Tory candidate, for suggesting the local state schools were not good enough for her son who wanted to become a surgeon.Duncan Smith added: "There's a big issue here for us, for countries that have big and good support for children, like we do and Germany does. We're already on that case and we're trying to reverse and to change that process." The Conservatives were forced on to the defensive over their Eastleigh byelection campaign after surgeons and GPs signed a letter condemning Maria Hutchings, the Tory candidate, for suggesting the local state schools were not good enough for her son who wanted to become a surgeon.
A letter from a cardiologist, Dr Aseem Malhotra, a surgeon and six named GPs, states: "As GPs and surgeons who all started their education at state-funded schools, we are proof that Maria Hutchings' assertions are not true.A letter from a cardiologist, Dr Aseem Malhotra, a surgeon and six named GPs, states: "As GPs and surgeons who all started their education at state-funded schools, we are proof that Maria Hutchings' assertions are not true.
"The education system in this country provided us with the knowledge and skills we needed to follow our dream career. It's such a shame that Conservatives like Maria Hutchings want to do our education system down instead of sending the message that whatever your background, you can achieve what you set out to do in life.""The education system in this country provided us with the knowledge and skills we needed to follow our dream career. It's such a shame that Conservatives like Maria Hutchings want to do our education system down instead of sending the message that whatever your background, you can achieve what you set out to do in life."
Speaking on the BBC Politics show, the Conservative chairman, Grant Shapps, dismissed the controversy saying: "Every parent wants the best for their child, and whether that's Nick Clegg or Ed Miliband or Maria Hutchings or myself … I think it's perfectly reasonable to look for the best option for your children.Speaking on the BBC Politics show, the Conservative chairman, Grant Shapps, dismissed the controversy saying: "Every parent wants the best for their child, and whether that's Nick Clegg or Ed Miliband or Maria Hutchings or myself … I think it's perfectly reasonable to look for the best option for your children.
"But it's a fact that she's got four children and two or three of them are in the state system, I think rather illustrates that she believes in it.""But it's a fact that she's got four children and two or three of them are in the state system, I think rather illustrates that she believes in it."
Ms Hutchings in an interview had said her son was "very gifted, which gives us another interesting challenge in finding the right sort of education for him – impossible in the state system. He wants to be a cardio-respiratory surgeon."Ms Hutchings in an interview had said her son was "very gifted, which gives us another interesting challenge in finding the right sort of education for him – impossible in the state system. He wants to be a cardio-respiratory surgeon."
Meanwhile, a shadow cabinet member has distanced the party from a book by the Labour candidate in the byelection, John O'Farrell. In his 1998 book, Things Can Only Get Better, O'Farrell implied he wished Lady Thatcher had died in the Brighton bombing, and that Britain had lost the Falklands war.Meanwhile, a shadow cabinet member has distanced the party from a book by the Labour candidate in the byelection, John O'Farrell. In his 1998 book, Things Can Only Get Better, O'Farrell implied he wished Lady Thatcher had died in the Brighton bombing, and that Britain had lost the Falklands war.
The shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said: "John O'Farrell is a comedian who, in bad taste, has written a book about this in the 80s and 90s. I'm sure if you asked him now whether he agreed that, you know he would say no."The shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said: "John O'Farrell is a comedian who, in bad taste, has written a book about this in the 80s and 90s. I'm sure if you asked him now whether he agreed that, you know he would say no."
In the book, O'Farrell wrote: "I would invent all sorts of elaborate scenarios whereby she would cease to be prime minister of Britain. Some involved a sombre deputation from the 1922 committee [of Tory MPs] and others involved me popping up with a machine gun at the Conservative party conference.In the book, O'Farrell wrote: "I would invent all sorts of elaborate scenarios whereby she would cease to be prime minister of Britain. Some involved a sombre deputation from the 1922 committee [of Tory MPs] and others involved me popping up with a machine gun at the Conservative party conference.
"In October 1984, when the Brighton bomb went off, I felt a surge of excitement at the nearness of her demise and yet disappointment that such a chance had been missed. This was me – the pacifist, anti-capital punishment, anti-IRA liberal – wishing that they had got her. 'Why did she have to leave the bathroom two minutes earlier?' I asked myself over and over again.""In October 1984, when the Brighton bomb went off, I felt a surge of excitement at the nearness of her demise and yet disappointment that such a chance had been missed. This was me – the pacifist, anti-capital punishment, anti-IRA liberal – wishing that they had got her. 'Why did she have to leave the bathroom two minutes earlier?' I asked myself over and over again."
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