Details on immigration are welcome post referendum

HOW would managed migration work in a post-Brexit Britain where we have regained full control of our borders? Home Secretary Amber Rudd is considering options which could include newly arrived workers being given five-year visas as long as they have a job. They would not however be able to claim benefits during that period.

The Migration Advisory Committee will also recommend how many visas should be handed out to workers in important areas such as software engineering, health and social care, farming and hospitality. Traditionally these are categories that have relied heavily on immigrant labour.

In the short term the status of EU nationals who are already resident in the UK must be carefully handled and that must depend on reciprocal arrangements for British expats in Europe.

The referendum on membership of the EU last June caught out David Cameron’s government because foolishly there was no serious expectation that Leave would win. And subsequently there were rumblings of discontent that Theresa May was not getting on with the job of ensuring how Brexit meant Brexit.

That is no longer the case. These details about visas and how many of them will be issued are exactly the kind of fine print that the voters need to know about. Not all proposals will go forward but it is good to see that the realities of Brexit are at last under scrutiny.