Sturgeon attacks ‘disastrous’ leaked post-brexit plan to cut immigration

● First Minister joins business leaders in criticism of ‘morally bankrupt’ proposals

Nicola Sturgeon has condemned leaked UK government plans to crack down on immigration from the EU after Brexit as “morally bankrupt”.

The First Minister joined critics from business and across the political spectrum in warning of “devastating” consequences for the Scottish economy, amid fears the plan could put at risk a post-brexit transition phase needed help companies adjust.

The leaked 82-page document, believed to be a draft of a forthcoming white paper being finalised within government, suggests EU free movement rights could be revoked as soon as the UK leaves the bloc in 2019.

New rules would require EU nationals to seek permission before taking up a job, make employers recruit locally first, 0 London Mayor Sadiq Khan attacked the immigration plans and restrict access to lowerskilled roles. EU nationals wanting to settle in the UK for longer than two years would also have to register and provide their fingerprints for a biometric ID card.

Theresa May defended the plans at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, telling MPS: “Overall immigration has been good for the UK, but what people want to see is control of that immigration.”

Ms Sturgeon said: “These proposals are dreadful and I think they are just a sign of the fact that this UK government has completely lost the plot and lost sight of what they should be doing to secure a brighter future for the country.”

Mrs May was also challenged over the plans at PMQS by the SNP’S Westminster leader Ian Blackford, who called on her to “stop dancing to the tune of her right wing backbenchers”.

There was a warning from EU diplomatic sources that free movement was a “red line” for any Brexit transition deal, and that any limits on migrant workers was “incompatible with single market access, whether in a transition or the future”.

Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association, said the proposals were “deliberately discriminatory” and would be “catastrophic” for the hospitality industry.

And Neil Carberry, the managing director for people and infrastructure at the Confederation of British Industry, said an “open approach” on migration was essential to address labour shortages.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan called the plans “a blueprint to strangle the London economy”, and TUC general secretary Frances O’grady said the planswouldfueltheunderground economy.

It emerged yesterday that Downing Street has approached some of Britain’s biggest companies asking them to sign a joint letter welcoming the government’s Brexit strategy.