UK PM Cameron made his long awaited speech this morning on immigration reforms and is now asking the EU to back him so that the planned referendum can go ahead in 2017
The main proposals – which are dependent on Cameron remaining in power after May’s general election – are:
- Stopping EU migrants from claiming in-work benefits, such as tax credits, and getting access to social housing for four years
- Stopping migrants claiming child benefit and tax credits for children living outside the UK
- Removing migrants from the UK after six months if they have not found work
- Restricting the right of migrants to bring family members into the UK
- Stopping EU jobseekers claiming Universal Credit
- Speeding up deportation of convicted criminals
- Longer re-entry bans for beggars and fraudsters removed from the UK
- Stopping citizens from new countries joining the EU from working in the UK until “their economies have “converged more closely” with existing members.
We deserve to be heard and we must be heard. Here is an issue which matters to the British people and to our future of the European Union.
The British people will not understand – frankly I will not understand – if a sensible way through cannot be found, which will help settle this country’s place in the EU once and for all.
The reforms are a major change to both UK and EU policy on the freedom of labour and designed to head off the challenge by UKIP as we head into next May’s general election
Cameron is reported to have had a phone convo this morning with Juncker and we wait to hear what the EU president has to say on the proposals. Difficult to see him and his colleagues giving the nod but there may be a third way to be discussed
The Beeb carries more here
Cameron – zero tolerance on welafare seeking immigrants
