Ministers pledge end to free movement in 2019
FREE movement from the European Union will end in two years when Britain has a new immigration system in place, senior Government ministers have pledged.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd and immigration minister Brandon Lewis both vowed that the UK will have border controls on who is allowed in and out in time for Brexit in March 2019.
Speaking during a visit to a Border Force patrol ship in Troon Harbour, on the west coast of Scotland, Ms Rudd said: “When we leave the EU, the current freedom of movement will obviously end so what we’ll need is a new system and we’ve said that that new system will have a proposal whereby new EU workers coming here will need to register.”
Meanwhile, Mr Lewis said freedom of movement was one of the “core principles” of the EU, and that a new immigration system would be in place when Britain formally departs the union.
He said: “Free movement of labour ends when we leave the European Union in the spring of 2019 – we’re very clear about that.”
Asked why free trade and single market access would not also end then, Mr Lewis said: “There’s a period of negotiation we’re going through with the European Union at the moment, but we’re very clear that free movement ends – it’s part of the core principles, the four key principles, of the European Union – when we leave.”
John Bickley, Ukip’s immigration spokesman said: “The Tories have consistently failed to meet their ‘tens of thousands’ immigration target for the last seven years.”
Brexit campaigners also called for greater clarity.
Leave Means Leave co-chairman Richard Tice said: “Immigration was one of the leading factors for why the British people voted to leave the EU and voters want to see a clear vision for a post-Brexit EU migration policy.”