UK eyes tighter immigration control

The Australian ^ | 2.5.04

[ambrose]

UK eyes tighter immigration control From correspondents in London 05feb04 BRITAIN was examining tighter controls to prevent increased immigration from mainly eastern European countries joining the European Union, Prime Minister Tony Blair said. Blair, responding to a question in Parliament from opposition Conservative Leader Michael Howard, said the Government was looking at the "potential risk" and might close concessions if necessary. Howard said almost every other EU government had already imposed controls and asked why Britain had not followed suit. "We will take whatever measures are necessary in order to make sure that the pull factor, which might draw people here, is closed off," Blair said. On May 1, 10 countries, including Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, are set to join the EU. Howard said that although he welcomed the new members, Britain had opted not to impose "transitional controls on the free movement of citizens". "The point you raise is a justified one. It is important that we recognise that there is a potential risk from these accession countries of people coming in," Blair said. "It's precisely for that reason now that we are looking at the concessions we gave and if it is right that closing off those concessions is going to mean we deal with this problem, then we will do so," he said.             © The Australian

[marty60]

A little late...they should have started with Karl Marx.