Home Secretary Amber Rudd confirms Britain will be ‘ending freedom of movement as we know it’ and announces plan for summer consultation on migration
She said that cutting benefits for migrants was one of a number of options the Government was considering to try and slash migration
AMBER RUDD will listen to views from the public and business chiefs about Britain’s post-Brexit immigration plan.
The Home Secretary said the exercise this summer will help her “end freedom of movement as we know it”.
But she warned there would be no sudden drop in numbers coming to Britain after we have quit the EU.
She confirmed Sun revelations last week that new migrants will likely be blocked from benefits and have to leave when their job ends.
She said in the ITV interview: “We will be ending freedom of movement as we know it.”
Ms Rudd insisted no final decisions have been made.
No10 is drawing up plans that could mean any EU citizen who travels to Britain after Article 50 is triggered next month could no longer have the automatic right to stay in the UK permanently.
Those who arrive after next month’s deadline may have to apply for the right to stay after Brexit — but nothing can be decided until Article 50 is triggered.
One plan could see the independent Migration Advisory Committee given powers to decide how many visas need to be issued in key industries, such as farming and health.
Ms Rudd said there will be no sudden drop in numbers after Brexit.
Her comments echoed Brexit Secretary David Davis, who said last week that the door would not be “suddenly shut”.
Ms Rudd said the Government will spend the coming summer “engaging with businesses and other stakeholders” on immigration.
She added: “There’s always a lot of anecdotal evidence about who’s coming, who’s going but we want to make sure that any future policy is based on fact.”
The Sunday Times reported today that Theresa May has ordered ministers to draw up plans to deal with migration after Brexit.
A Bill unveiling the plans is due to be published in the new year, and could include:
- Time-limited visas to migrants to fill jobs in key sectors
- Training Brits in industries which rely on migrants
- Continue to work to cut net migration to the tens of thousands. Last week's figures showed a drop to 273,000 in the year to September.
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The Home Secretary said she was "delighted" to appoint the Met's first female boss Cressida Dick - as revealed by The Sun this week.
And she played down rumours of an upcoming election, saying that Theresa May doesn't want one.
"I think the public have had enough of elections at the moment, there’s a bit of fatigue," she added.
She also insisted that the Government had not abandoned child refugees, after it recently confirmed the Dubs agreement to take lone children in Europe would end.
Ms Rudd said that it was "fake news" to suggest that they were not helping kids trapped in warzones overseas.
"We do think, it's a pull factor if we say we will continue to take children from Europe," she added. "Traffickers will bring you the children - it’s not the right thing to do."
She said: "Its easy to be compassionate, it's less easy to put together the right policies to look after the most vulnerable children."
The Home Secretary also insisted that the Prime Minister is "very helpful" to her because she knew what the job was like.
Ms Rudd said: "She knows what can and can’t be done, I can have a very frank conversation with her."
'FAKERS' RAPPED
AMBER Rudd has branded criticism of her refugee policy “fake news”.
She hit back at complaints the Government is backtracking on commitments to resettle children from Syria under the Dubs Agreement.
She said: “Fake news is settling out there. We took 8,000 last year into this country and settled them.
"Three thousand arrived unaccompanied and illegally and have been settled here.”