This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25628791

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Polish minister attacks David Cameron's child benefit plan Polish minister attacks David Cameron's child benefit plan
(35 minutes later)
Poland's foreign minister has criticised David Cameron's call for a change to European Union treaties to allow the withdrawal of child benefit from migrants working in the UK.Poland's foreign minister has criticised David Cameron's call for a change to European Union treaties to allow the withdrawal of child benefit from migrants working in the UK.
Writing on Twitter, Radoslaw Sikorski asked: "If Britain gets our taxpayers, shouldn't it also pay their benefits?"Writing on Twitter, Radoslaw Sikorski asked: "If Britain gets our taxpayers, shouldn't it also pay their benefits?"
He added that Polish taxpayers should not "subsidise" UK taxpayers' children.He added that Polish taxpayers should not "subsidise" UK taxpayers' children.
Mr Cameron has said "we need to crack down on" EU immigrants motivated by higher benefits payments in the UK.Mr Cameron has said "we need to crack down on" EU immigrants motivated by higher benefits payments in the UK.
On Sunday, he told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that he would try to renegotiate the UK's membership with the EU to allow it to withhold welfare payments such as child benefit from workers of other European nations. EU citizens working in the UK are currently able to claim child benefit, even if their children live abroad.
'Stigma' On Sunday, the PM told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show that he would try to renegotiate the UK's membership with the EU to allow it to withhold child benefit in these circumstances.
EU citizens who come to the UK to work are currently entitled to claim child benefit, even if their children live abroad. Mr Cameron had singled out people from Poland as he made the case for change.
Mr Sikorski tweeted: "If Britain gets our taxpayers, shouldn't it also pay their benefits? Why should Polish taxpayers subsidise British taxpayers' children?" 'Contribute double'
But Mr Sikorski tweeted: "If Britain gets our taxpayers, shouldn't it also pay their benefits? Why should Polish taxpayers subsidise British taxpayers' children?"
He added: "UK social security rules apply to all resident EU citizens. No need to stigmatise Poles. What about British children abroad?"He added: "UK social security rules apply to all resident EU citizens. No need to stigmatise Poles. What about British children abroad?"
In response, Mr Cameron's official spokesman said: "The prime minister's view won't have changed. He set it out in yesterday's media interview. He subsequently told the BBC that he sympathised with Mr Cameron's efforts "to plug loopholes" in the benefits system, and denied that Poland had already decided it would veto the move.
The Polish government would "consider every British government proposal very seriously", he said.
But, he argued, this was a pan-EU rule which also benefited UK citizens living in other European countries.
If the UK wanted to make the benefits system less generous, Mr Sikorski said, it should do so "in a non-discriminatory manner and without stigmatising people".
He said Polish people contributed about double the amount to the British economy than they withdrew in benefits.
No 10's official spokesman said: "The prime minister's view won't have changed. He set it out in yesterday's media interview.
"It is one of the points he made in his speech on migration in March last year. It remains the prime minister's long-standing view.""It is one of the points he made in his speech on migration in March last year. It remains the prime minister's long-standing view."