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UKIP: EU migrants in UK legally would be able to stay | UKIP: EU migrants in UK legally would be able to stay |
(35 minutes later) | |
The UKIP candidate in the Rochester and Strood by-election, Mark Reckless, has rejected claims he backs deporting existing EU migrants. | The UKIP candidate in the Rochester and Strood by-election, Mark Reckless, has rejected claims he backs deporting existing EU migrants. |
At a hustings on Tuesday Mr Reckless suggested existing EU migrants should only be allowed to remain in the UK for "a transitional period". | At a hustings on Tuesday Mr Reckless suggested existing EU migrants should only be allowed to remain in the UK for "a transitional period". |
Asked on BBC Radio Kent if he was suggesting they should be deported, he said: "No I was not suggesting that." | Asked on BBC Radio Kent if he was suggesting they should be deported, he said: "No I was not suggesting that." |
Mr Reckless accused his Conservative critics of "twisting" his words. | Mr Reckless accused his Conservative critics of "twisting" his words. |
He said EU citizens in the UK legally at the time the country left the union would be able to stay in the country. | He said EU citizens in the UK legally at the time the country left the union would be able to stay in the country. |
But an "Australian-style" points system would then apply to all new migrants from both inside and outside the European Union. | But an "Australian-style" points system would then apply to all new migrants from both inside and outside the European Union. |
He also said those EU citizens who had been legally in the UK for 10 years would be allowed to apply for citizenship. | He also said those EU citizens who had been legally in the UK for 10 years would be allowed to apply for citizenship. |
'Not retrospective' | |
Nigel Farage responded on Twitter to a question from the BBC's Robin Brant about Mr Reckless's comments and said: "People here lawfully, as those from EU, would have right to remain. Those here illegally would have to apply for work permits." | Nigel Farage responded on Twitter to a question from the BBC's Robin Brant about Mr Reckless's comments and said: "People here lawfully, as those from EU, would have right to remain. Those here illegally would have to apply for work permits." |
The original comments came when Mr Reckless was asked - at a televised hustings broadcast by ITV's Meridian - what would happen to EU migrants already living and working in Britain. | The original comments came when Mr Reckless was asked - at a televised hustings broadcast by ITV's Meridian - what would happen to EU migrants already living and working in Britain. |
He suggested they would be looked at "sympathetically" but should only be allowed to remain in the UK for "a fixed period". | He suggested they would be looked at "sympathetically" but should only be allowed to remain in the UK for "a fixed period". |
But Labour's Yvette Cooper said Mr Reckless had "let the mask slip". | But Labour's Yvette Cooper said Mr Reckless had "let the mask slip". |
She said using the "language of repatriation" was "a policy that comes straight out of the last BNP manifesto and does not reflect British values". | She said using the "language of repatriation" was "a policy that comes straight out of the last BNP manifesto and does not reflect British values". |
A UKIP spokesman said Mr Reckless had been "misunderstood", though not misquoted. | A UKIP spokesman said Mr Reckless had been "misunderstood", though not misquoted. |
The spokesman said: "It is absolutely not our policy to round up EU migrants and put them on a boat at Dover and send them back to wherever they came from." | The spokesman said: "It is absolutely not our policy to round up EU migrants and put them on a boat at Dover and send them back to wherever they came from." |
He added that UKIP's policy on immigration - which is to introduce a points-based system ending EU freedom of movement - would not apply retrospectively. | He added that UKIP's policy on immigration - which is to introduce a points-based system ending EU freedom of movement - would not apply retrospectively. |
The full list of candidates, in alphabetical order by surname, is: | The full list of candidates, in alphabetical order by surname, is: |
Barker, Mike - Independent | Barker, Mike - Independent |
Challis, Christopher - Independent | Challis, Christopher - Independent |
Davidson, Hairy Knorm - Official Monster Raving Loony Party | Davidson, Hairy Knorm - Official Monster Raving Loony Party |
Fransen, Jayda - Britain First | Fransen, Jayda - Britain First |
Goldsbrough, Stephen William - Independent | Goldsbrough, Stephen William - Independent |
Gregory, Clive - Green Party | Gregory, Clive - Green Party |
Juby, Geoff - Liberal Democrats | Juby, Geoff - Liberal Democrats |
Khan, Naushabah - Labour | Khan, Naushabah - Labour |
Long, Nick - People Before Profit | Long, Nick - People Before Profit |
Osborn, Dave - Patriotic Socialist Party | Osborn, Dave - Patriotic Socialist Party |
Reckless, Mark - UK Independence Party | Reckless, Mark - UK Independence Party |
Rose, Charlotte - Independent | Rose, Charlotte - Independent |
Tolhurst, Kelly - Conservative | Tolhurst, Kelly - Conservative |