Blair backs crackdown on immigration to stay in Europe

TONY BLAIR has called for tougher immigration rules – which he believes will allow Britain to stay in the European Union.

It was reported last night that the former prime minister is calling for EU migrants to register when they enter the country.

He has put his name to a report by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, which states that open borders are no longer appropriate, and calls on the Government to force EU migrants to register on arrival to enable them to be counted in and out of the country.

The report suggests those who fail to register would be banned from renting a house, opening a bank account and prevented from accessing benefits.

Mr Blair raises the possibility that by enforcing strict immigration controls, it might be possible to take back control of Britain’s borders, thus alleviating the need to leave the EU.

The report also calls for restricting access to free healthcare for unemployed migrants. The move comes as Theresa May has been criticised for not enforcing the present rules, which state that EU migrants who have not found work within three months of residing in the country should be removed.

During his time as prime minister, Mr Blair imposed no restrictions on immigration when eight eastern European countries joined the EU in 2004.

He told The Sunday Times that “back then the economy was stronger and the workers were needed”. He added: “The times were different: the sentiment was different: and intelligent politics takes account of such changes.”