MPs demand action to prevent Brexit migrant surge
BRITAIN faces a huge “surge” in European Union migrants before leaving the bloc unless Theresa May enforces a “cut-off ” date on those arriving, MPs have warned.
The Home Affairs committee has suggested three dates after which EU migrants cannot claim permanent residence, the earliest being the referendum date, a month ago.
Keith Vaz, the Labour MP who chairs the committee, said while EU citizens in Britain must not be used as “pawns in a complicated chess game” there was a chance of a migration surge.
Theresa May will visit Rome today to hold talks with Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, as she continues a diplomatic drive to meet EU leaders after taking office.
She is expected to repeat that Britain does not want to abandon Europe despite the vote for Brexit and that the country remains open for business.
Meanwhile Liam Fox, the new International Trade Secretary, who is on an official trip to America to assess the chances of signing a trade deal, has criticised Barack Obama’s decision to intervene before the EU referendum.
He told a US radio show that UK voters “don’t really like being told by anybody outside their own borders” what they should do, after Mr Obama said Britain would be at the “back of the queue” for a trade deal after Brexit.
Dr Fox said voters responded by questioning whether Britain had been “at the back of the queue” when America was searching for coalition allies to invade Iraq and Afghanistan.
He also suggested in a separate inter- view that the issue of Britain’s relations with the EU would be resolved by 2020, the date of the next general election.
Following the vote to leave the EU last month, the UK is expected to introduce controls on free movement but the details of the system have yet to be outlined.
A report from the Home Affairs committee said: “Past experience has shown that previous attempts to tighten immigration rules have led to a spike in immigration prior to the rules coming into force.
“Much will depend on the negotia- tions between the UK and the EU and the details of any deal to retain or constrain free movement in the European Union.”
It suggested three “cut-off ” dates for when EU citizens can apply for permanent UK residence: the June 23 referendum, the date Article 50 is triggered to begin Brexit talks or the day Britain actually leaves the bloc.
Mr Vaz said: “There is a clear lack of certainty in the Government’s approach to the position of EU migrants resident in the UK and British citizens living in the EU. Neither should be used as pawns in a complicated chess game which has not even begun.”
A government spokesman said: “We are about to begin these negotiations and it would be wrong to set out further unilateral positions in advance. But there is clearly no mandate for accepting the free movement of people as it has existed up until now.”
One in three lorries arriving in Britain does not have the security measures needed to keep out stowaways, border officials have found as it emerged almost half of all peoplesmuggling fines are never paid.