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Benefits delay is obstacle for jobless immigrants, says Iain Duncan Smith Benefits delay is obstacle for jobless immigrants, says Iain Duncan Smith
(about 3 hours later)
Immigrants should remain the responsibility of their home country until they start paying taxes, and the coalition will go "much further" in its efforts to keep out those without jobs, Iain Duncan Smith has said, after unveiling plans to stop new arrivals from Europe claiming benefits for at least three months. Immigrants should remain the responsibility of their home country until they start paying taxes, and the government will go "much further" in its efforts to keep out those without jobs, Iain Duncan Smith has said.
The coalition is preparing to rush new restrictions through parliament amid concern about the prospect of a wave of migration from Bulgaria and Romania when EU restrictions are lifted on 1 January. The work and pension's secretary's remarks follow the unveiling of plans to stop new arrivals from Europe claiming benefits for at least three months. The government is preparing to rush the new restrictions through parliament amid concern about the prospect of a wave of migration from Bulgaria and Romania when EU restrictions are lifted on 1 January.
Duncan Smith said the three-month benefit ban was a method of "putting obstacles in the way" of people moving to the UK without work or another means of support. He said ministers would do much more to make sure immigrants remained the responsibility of their home country until they started paying work-related taxes and became residents in Britain.Duncan Smith said the three-month benefit ban was a method of "putting obstacles in the way" of people moving to the UK without work or another means of support. He said ministers would do much more to make sure immigrants remained the responsibility of their home country until they started paying work-related taxes and became residents in Britain.
"What I've set up to do over the past year and a half is to get in a group of European nations who all agree with us about two things," the work and pensions secretary told Sky News. "First of all to go much further than this. Eventually there's an agreement generally that in essence that if people do travel to another country in due course we want to tighten it up so you remain the responsibility of your home nation until you've demonstrated in due course that you're resident, you're earning, you've been paying taxes and therefore you become eligible for benefits. "What I've set up to do over the past year and a half is to get in a group of European nations who all agree with us about two things," the work and pensions secretary told Sky News. "First of all, to go much further than this.
"Eventually there's an agreement generally that in essence that if people do travel to another country in due course we want to tighten it up so you remain the responsibility of your home nation until you've demonstrated in due course that you're resident, you're earning, you've been paying taxes and therefore you become eligible for benefits.
"That's a further stage where there's a general agreement amongst most of the nations of the European Union that this should be the case. So this is phase one. Phase two is further measures that we hope to bring in in due course and the prime minister has been in favour of this all along. My colleagues on the backbenchers will be very pleased with this and they already know about it.""That's a further stage where there's a general agreement amongst most of the nations of the European Union that this should be the case. So this is phase one. Phase two is further measures that we hope to bring in in due course and the prime minister has been in favour of this all along. My colleagues on the backbenchers will be very pleased with this and they already know about it."
Downing Street announced that from New Year's Day all jobseekers from the EU would have to wait three months from their arrival in the UK before they could apply to claim any out of work benefits.Downing Street announced that from New Year's Day all jobseekers from the EU would have to wait three months from their arrival in the UK before they could apply to claim any out of work benefits.
The clampdown betrays the extreme nervousness in Downing Street about the reaction of potential Tory voters – and increasingly restive Tory backbenchers – if the public decides that ministers have failed to take every measure possible to prevent Romanians and Bulgarians travelling to Britain en masse. The clampdown betrays the extreme nervousness in Downing Street about the reaction of potential Tory voters – and increasingly restive Conservative backbenchers – if the public decides that ministers have failed to take every measure possible to prevent Romanians and Bulgarians travelling to Britain en masse.
David Cameron said he believed the restrictions would "make the UK a less attractive place for EU migrants who want to come here and try to live off the state". The prime minister said he wanted to "send the clear message that whilst Britain is very much open for business, we will not welcome people who don't want to contribute".David Cameron said he believed the restrictions would "make the UK a less attractive place for EU migrants who want to come here and try to live off the state". The prime minister said he wanted to "send the clear message that whilst Britain is very much open for business, we will not welcome people who don't want to contribute".
He added: "The hardworking British public are rightly concerned that migrants do not come here to exploit our public services and our benefits system."He added: "The hardworking British public are rightly concerned that migrants do not come here to exploit our public services and our benefits system."
Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, accused the government of making last-minute changes because it was on the run. She said: "Labour called for these benefit restrictions nine months ago. Yet David Cameron has left it until the very last minute to squeeze this change in.Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, accused the government of making last-minute changes because it was on the run. She said: "Labour called for these benefit restrictions nine months ago. Yet David Cameron has left it until the very last minute to squeeze this change in.
"Why is the government leaving everything until the last minute and operating in such a chaotic way? Three weeks ago Theresa May told parliament she couldn't restrict benefits in time, now the prime minister says they can." "Why is the government leaving everything until the last minute and operating in such a chaotic way? Three weeks ago [the home secretary] Theresa May told parliament she couldn't restrict benefits in time, now the prime minister says they can."
Nearly 80 Tory backbenchers, including some of its leading lawyers, are backing calls for the UK to defy the EU and retain the tough labour market restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians for a further five years. The rebels welcomed Cameron's speeding up of the denial of jobseeker's allowance, but said the lure of Britain for Romanians and Bulgarians was probably highly paid work, and not benefits. Nearly 80 Tory backbenchers, including some of its leading lawyers, are backing calls for the UK to defy the EU and retain the tough labour market restrictions on Romanians and Bulgarians for a further five years. The rebels welcomed Cameron's speeding up of the restrictions on claiming jobseeker's allowance, but said the lure of Britain for Romanians and Bulgarians was probably highly paid work, and not benefits.
One of the ringleaders of the rebellion, David Ruffley MP, said: "It's not enough to choke off any abuse of benefits because many want to come here to work. The minimum wage in Romania is £1 and, for perfectly rational economic reasons, they want to come here to work for £6 an hour. We were told 13,000 Poles were coming under the Labour government and it turned out to be 500,000, putting pressure on public services."One of the ringleaders of the rebellion, David Ruffley MP, said: "It's not enough to choke off any abuse of benefits because many want to come here to work. The minimum wage in Romania is £1 and, for perfectly rational economic reasons, they want to come here to work for £6 an hour. We were told 13,000 Poles were coming under the Labour government and it turned out to be 500,000, putting pressure on public services."
Polls this week show 40% of voters believe 50,000 Romanians and Bulgarians will come to the UK in 2014. Currently, Romanians and Bulgarians can only largely work in the UK on seasonal fruit-picking visas or if they are self-employed. Opinion polls this week show 40% of voters believe 50,000 Romanians and Bulgarians will come to the UK in 2014. Currently, Romanians and Bulgarians can only largely work in the UK on seasonal fruit-picking visas or if they are self-employed.
The backbenchers, not all on the party right, have been thwarted in efforts to stage a last-minute Commons vote on the issue on Thursday, and have instead had to settle for a three-hour debate without a vote. But government whips have been forced to delay bringing back its flagship immigration bill to the Commons knowing that the 80 Tory MPs are supporting an amendment imposing the five-year delay on freely letting Romanians and Bulgarians come to work.The backbenchers, not all on the party right, have been thwarted in efforts to stage a last-minute Commons vote on the issue on Thursday, and have instead had to settle for a three-hour debate without a vote. But government whips have been forced to delay bringing back its flagship immigration bill to the Commons knowing that the 80 Tory MPs are supporting an amendment imposing the five-year delay on freely letting Romanians and Bulgarians come to work.
That would put the UK on collision course with the EU, and ministers are desperate to avoid another backbench rebellion that exposes the UK's inability to halt EU migrants. Eight other EU countries are also lifting the restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians on 1 January. That would put the UK on collision course with the EU, and ministers are desperate to avoid another backbench rebellion that exposes the country's inability to halt EU migrants. Eight other EU countries are also lifting the restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians on 1 January.
This week Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, supported the tightening of benefits to EU migrants by saying: "It is impossible to defend the core freedom to move from one EU state to another to look for work, unless the public is satisfied this is not the same as a freedom to claim benefit." This week Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, supported the tightening of benefits to EU migrants, saying: "It is impossible to defend the core freedom to move from one EU state to another to look for work, unless the public is satisfied this is not the same as a freedom to claim benefit."
Duncan Smith has also changed rules so that benefits will only be available to claimants who speak reasonable English. The Border Agency will also be empowered from 1 January to debar EU migrants from returning to the UK for 12 months if they have been deported for begging, or not being self-sufficient. Duncan Smith has also changed rules so that benefits will only be available to claimants who speak reasonable English. The UK Border Agency will also be empowered from 1 January to debar EU migrants from returning to Britain for 12 months if they have been deported for begging, or not being self-sufficient.
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