Gaby Hinsliff, political editor Sunday October 22, 2006 Observer
The government is to abandon its 'open-door' policy to eastern Europe by restricting the inflow of Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants when their countries join the European Union in January.In a dramatic U-turn that has been attacked as a sop to the anti-immigration lobby, John Reid, the Home Secretary, will unveil plans to prevent thousands of people from Romania and Bulgaria coming to Britain to work. His move comes after sustained criticism that Polish immigrants are entering the country in unsustainable numbers.
The move is in stark contrast to the treatment of other new EU countries, including Poland, to which the UK allowed unlimited access when they joined in 2004. It also reflects political fears about the impact of immigration on working-class Britons.
Reid's plans have been drawn up despite furious opposition from Romanian community leaders, who have complained to Tony Blair of a 'denigrating campaign' against them in a leaked letter obtained by The Observer
Senior Foreign Office officials are said to be concerned that the move is a backward step for EU enlargement, but Downing Street is said to favour Reid's view that restrictions are necessary to prevent a political backlash. 'The Home Office has made pretty clear its thinking that there needs to be restric tions,' said a senior Whitehall source.
Reid's plans have not yet been cleared by cabinet colleagues and he is still finalising them, but he plans to announce time-limited controls on the right of citizens from both countries to work in Britain when they join the EU. He is expected to say that Britain will take a limited number of unskilled workers to carry out jobs such as fruit picking, but will not offer a general right to work. The previous wave of eastern European immigration mostly involved skilled trades, such as builders, and there was no limit on the number of work permits issued. Britain cannot legally stop citizens of any new EU countries moving here, but denying the right to work would reduce the numbers wanting to come. The move is expected to be accompanied by enforcement measures to prevent people entering the black market.
Two former Foreign Office ministers yesterday attacked the decision, while the Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, suggested the debate was still ongoing. 'No hard and fast decisions have yet been made,' she told The Observer
The letter from senior Romanian figures in Britain to Downing Street, signed by a number of leading cultural and social organisations, claims that Romania is being unfairly treated following hostile media coverage. Urging Blair to 'follow your beliefs', it says: 'We are deeply concerned about the denigrating campaign of the past weeks in the British media that does significant harm to the true image of Romania. The numbers of Romanians who intend to come to work in the UK after 1 January, 2007, have been highly exaggerated.'
Opening the doors would fuel economic growth and 'drastically reduce incentives' for illegal labour, the letter says, adding that the typical immigrant would be young and single and 'it is unlikely that he/she would overburden the UK education and health system'.
However, Labour MPs say their constituents are uneasy about rapidly changing communities and wages being undercut by eastern European workers.
John Denham, the Labour chairman of the home affairs select committee, said that, while eastern European immigration had been economically beneficial overall, it had hit some groups unfairly. 'The day rate for a brickie in Southampton has fallen by 50 per cent, which is good news if you are having a kitchen extension built, but, if you are a brickie with a family to feed, is not fine at all,' he said. However, critics of Reid's move insist immigration has helped drive Britain's economic growth since 2004 and that Romanians and Bulgarians will be more drawn to Italy and Spain, where they have large expat communities.
Denis MacShane, the former Europe minister, said: 'I understand the politics of it, but ... I still think it's the first big signal of a protectionist approach to open markets from this government, which I regret.' Keith Vaz, a predecessor of MacShane's, said: 'This is a real blow to our reputation as the champion of enlargement.' Guardian Unlimited