EU round-up: Leave announces immigration policy, county MP wants roaming debate

A statement from Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, Priti Patel, and Gisela Stuart today sets out the blueprint for an immigration system which would spell the end of the automatic right of EU citizens to come to live and work in Britain.

Instead, the right to come to the UK would be based on skills.

The statement said: "By the next general election, we will create a genuine Australian-style points-based immigration system.

"The automatic right of all EU citizens to come to live and work in the UK will end, as will EU control over vital aspects of our social security system.

"EU citizens will be subject to legislation made by those we elect in Westminster, not in Brussels. We could then create fairness between EU citizens and others, including those from Commonwealth countries."

The new system would mean all applications to live and work in the UK would be determined based on skills and qualifications "without discrimination on the ground of nationality".

The statement added: "To gain the right to work, economic migrants will have to be suitable for the job in question.

"For relevant jobs, we will be able to ensure that all those who come have the ability to speak good English.

"Such a system can be much less bureaucratic and much simpler than the existing system for non-EU citizens."

Immigration has been one of the most important driving factors in the referendum campaign so far and with a matter of weeks to go until the nation goes to the polls, the Leave campaign has finally set out its vision for post-Brexit border control.

The statement points out that some 77,000 jobseekers came to the UK from the EU last year despite it being Government policy that people coming from Europe should have a job offer in place first.

It also highlights concerns that voting to Remain - and for the continued application of the principle of free movement - would mean increased pressure being placed on things like school class sizes, wages and UK security.

It also suggests that the "tragic scenes unfolding in the Mediterranean underline how badly the European Union is handling population movements and migration pressures".

"If we remain in the EU the situation is only likely to get worse," the statement said.

Mr Johnson, Mr Gove, Ms Patel and Ms Stuart also cite the Conservative Party's election commitment to cut net immigration to the tens of thousands as evidence for the need for a change in approach.

They said: "This promise is plainly not achievable as long as the UK is a member of the EU and the failure to keep it is corrosive of public trust in politics."

The four believe that if the UK backs Brexit "a new, safer and more humane" immigration policy should be introduced "as rapidly as possible" and that such plans would be "broadly supported across British society".

The new system would mean no change for Irish citizens or for EU citizens who are already lawfully resident in the UK.

Such EU citizens would automatically be granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

The announcement comes after several senior Worcestershire figures, including University vice-chancellor Professor David Green and The Very Rev Peter Atkinsonm, the Dean of Worcester Cathedral, backed our open EU borders.

Professor Green has pointed to the UK having big skills shortages despite the current policy.

Will Straw, executive director of Britain Stronger in Europe, criticised the Leave campaign's announcement and suggested the proposed points-based system could lead to higher levels of immigration.

"This system will not work," he said.

"Vote Leave's proposal could put up immigration and it would wreck our economy, as it involves leaving Europe's Single Market.

"Australia, who have a points based immigration system, have twice as many migrants per head as the UK.

"Economic experts are agreed that leaving the Single Market would lead to recession - costing jobs and raising prices."

LET’S HAVE A DEBATE ON ROAMING, SAYS COUNTY MP

A WORCESTERSHIRE MP is trying to secure an EU debate on mobile phone roaming charges and the cost of flying.

Nigel Huddleston, who represents Mid-Worcestershire, says he wants the Commons to thrash out what implications a Brexit could have on airlines and calls abroad.

Roaming charges are added by mobile operators for calls, texts and internet browsing when phone users are abroad.

An EU regulation is due to abolish roaming charges in EU member states from 2017.

Decreasing roaming charges is something that the European Commission has been working on for 10 years, something the Leave camp has picked up on, saying progress has been too slow.

Speaking in parliament, Mr Huddleston said: “Many people benefit from lower airfares and lower mobile roaming charges as a result of our being in the EU.

“Published research has shown that the average cost of holidays could increase if we leave.

“May we have a debate on the impact on tourism, domestic, inbound and outbound, should we leave the EU?”

Dr Therese Coffey, the deputy leader of the Commons, said: “(Mr Huddleston) is absolutely right to highlight the potential increase in costs connected to leaving the EU.

“Of course, I wish to encourage domestic tourism as well.”

TOM WATSON WARNS OF HEDGE FUNDS’ GREED

DAVID Cameron should ban hedge funds from trying to “cash in” on the referendum by commissioning private exit polls to speculate on sterling before the result, Labour’s deputy leader has said.

Tom Watson said it was not right that financial institutions are looking to make quick money out of betting on UK currency as British voters make their most significant choice in a generation.

Mr Watson, who is from Kidderminster, urged the Prime Minister to intervene after reports banks and hedge funds have approached pollsters.

He said: “Hedge funds who commission their own private exit polls stand to make many millions of pounds learning the likely outcome of the referendum hours before the UK government and the British people find out if we have voted to leave or stay in the EU.”

EU DEBATE TO TAKE PLACE IN COUNTY CHURCH

AN EU referendum Q&A is taking place in Worcestershire on Friday night.

The event is taking place at Pershore Baptist Church between 7pm-8pm and will be hosted by West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin.

The Conservative has been touring Britain under her role as the Government’s financial services minister to back Remain.

She said: “I have spoken to a lot of people who are still undecided about how they plan to vote in the EU referendum.”

People are being urged to arrive early.

* Sajid Javid warns 1.2m small firms would "take a hit" under a Brexit