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Theresa May says she wants to clamp down on EU citizens coming to UK Theresa May says she wants to clamp down on EU citizens coming to UK
(about 1 hour later)
The home secretary, Theresa May, has said she wants a clampdown on the way EU citizens are permitted to come to the UK, but avoided confirming leaks coming from her department suggesting she wants a cap of 75,000 EU workers.The home secretary, Theresa May, has said she wants a clampdown on the way EU citizens are permitted to come to the UK, but avoided confirming leaks coming from her department suggesting she wants a cap of 75,000 EU workers.
At present the government cannot impose a cap on the number of EU citizens coming to the country because of the free movement of workers. At present the government cannot impose a limit on the number of EU citizens coming to the country because of the free movement of workers.
May said she refused to confirm leaks, but "there is a growing concern about the abuse of free movement in the EU". She added that this was not something that was just being raised in the UK. She pointed out that the law had originally only allowed free movement of workers, but partly because of court judgements this had been extended to EU citizens. May refused to confirm the leaks, but said: "There is a growing concern about the abuse of free movement in the EU." She added that this was not something that was just being raised in the UK. She pointed out that the law had originally allowed free movement only of workers, but partly because of court judgments this had been extended to EU citizens.
She was speaking against a possible large-scale Tory rebellion over the lifting of restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians coming to Britain on 1 January. She was speaking amid fears of a large-scale Tory rebellion over the lifting of restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians coming to Britain on 1 January.
David Davis, the former shadow home secretary, has joined the rebellion calling for the government to tell the EU that the deadline for allowing Romanians and Bulgarians should be put back a further two years. A vote in the Commons is due in the new year, but has been postponed by government whips. David Davis, the former shadow home secretary, has joined the revolt, calling for the government to tell the EU that the deadline for allowing Romanians and Bulgarians should be put back a further two years. A vote in the Commons is due in the new year, but has been postponed by government whips.
May confined most of her remarks on the BBC Today programme to tighter rules on the free movement of new accession countries rather existing member states.May confined most of her remarks on the BBC Today programme to tighter rules on the free movement of new accession countries rather existing member states.
The reported proposal reflects increasing tensions within the party over how to deal with fear from the electorate over immigration, which has been fanned by sections of the media. The reported proposal reflects increasing tensions within the party over how to deal with the electorate's concerns about immigration.
Rows between Tories over Europe are expected to escalate in the new year as MEPs, MPs and councillors seek ways of stopping the rise of the UK Independence party, which has gained popularity because of its hardline stance on EU immigration. Ukip is widely expected to gain seats in May's European and local elections.Rows between Tories over Europe are expected to escalate in the new year as MEPs, MPs and councillors seek ways of stopping the rise of the UK Independence party, which has gained popularity because of its hardline stance on EU immigration. Ukip is widely expected to gain seats in May's European and local elections.
The document, drawn up by the Home Office and seen by the Sunday Times, reportedly says unlimited immigration from the EU has damaged the job prospects of low-skilled Britons, encouraged benefit tourism, put pressure on public services and caused the "build-up of social tensions".The document, drawn up by the Home Office and seen by the Sunday Times, reportedly says unlimited immigration from the EU has damaged the job prospects of low-skilled Britons, encouraged benefit tourism, put pressure on public services and caused the "build-up of social tensions".
It suggests a range of measures to cut immigration, including a cap of 75,000 migrants a year and tougher employment criteria.It suggests a range of measures to cut immigration, including a cap of 75,000 migrants a year and tougher employment criteria.
Davis, the former shadow home secretary, said on Sunday that the review was "closing the stable door after the horse has bolted". Davis, the former shadow home secretary, said on Sunday the review was "closing the stable door after the horse has bolted".
"On 1 January the accession period comes to an end for Bulgaria and Romania and they will then have free movement of people, the same rights of movement as anybody else in Europe. There are huge fears that there will be thousands, tens of thousands, if you believe Ukip hundreds of thousands, of people coming into Britain," he told BBC's The Andrew Marr Show. "On 1 January the accession period comes to an end for Bulgaria and Romania and they will then have free movement of people, the same rights of movement as anybody else in Europe. There are huge fears that there will be thousands, tens of thousands, if you believe Ukip hundreds of thousands, of people coming into Britain," he told BBC's Andrew Marr Show.
"So it needs to be dealt with straight away. It needs to be dealt with by saying to the EU: 'We're sorry, this can't work. Let's just rethink this, put it off for a couple of years and rethink it'.""So it needs to be dealt with straight away. It needs to be dealt with by saying to the EU: 'We're sorry, this can't work. Let's just rethink this, put it off for a couple of years and rethink it'."
A cap on EU immigration would require a renegotiation of Britain's links with Europe, something David Cameron has promised to do if he is re-elected in 2015.A cap on EU immigration would require a renegotiation of Britain's links with Europe, something David Cameron has promised to do if he is re-elected in 2015.
In a further development, a group of Tory backbench MPs have written to Cameron asking for an immediate national veto over all EU laws.In a further development, a group of Tory backbench MPs have written to Cameron asking for an immediate national veto over all EU laws.
According to the Mail on Sunday, the MPs write: "This proposal would enable the government for example to recover control over our borders, to lift EU burdens on business, to regain control over energy policy and to disapply the EU charter of fundamental human rights."According to the Mail on Sunday, the MPs write: "This proposal would enable the government for example to recover control over our borders, to lift EU burdens on business, to regain control over energy policy and to disapply the EU charter of fundamental human rights."
Also speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, the shadow business secretary, Chuka Umunna, stressed the importance of stopping migrant workers undercutting their British counterparts.Also speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, the shadow business secretary, Chuka Umunna, stressed the importance of stopping migrant workers undercutting their British counterparts.
He said: "We were very clear, and we raised this issue with the home secretary over eight months ago, that you have to have proper transitional controls in place. So what will happen in respect of people coming in from Bulgaria, Romania, wanting to claim out-of-work benefits, housing benefit, jobseeker's allowance, for example?He said: "We were very clear, and we raised this issue with the home secretary over eight months ago, that you have to have proper transitional controls in place. So what will happen in respect of people coming in from Bulgaria, Romania, wanting to claim out-of-work benefits, housing benefit, jobseeker's allowance, for example?
"So will that come in and will the restrictions they are talking about come in in January? No indication so far."So will that come in and will the restrictions they are talking about come in in January? No indication so far.
"To the extent that people do come in and they can show that they can work and bring economic activity, here are appropriate measures being implemented to stop them undercutting British workers, but also to stop them being exploited by employers."To the extent that people do come in and they can show that they can work and bring economic activity, here are appropriate measures being implemented to stop them undercutting British workers, but also to stop them being exploited by employers.
"For example, by ensuring you have proper enforcement of the national minimum wage and increasing the fines 10-fold as we have suggested.""For example, by ensuring you have proper enforcement of the national minimum wage and increasing the fines 10-fold as we have suggested."
He also called for a properly balanced debate on the issue, saying migration had brought a lot of benefits to Britain.He also called for a properly balanced debate on the issue, saying migration had brought a lot of benefits to Britain.
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