- Title: Britain considers tough curbs on EU migration
- Date: 6th September 2017
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JUNE 21, 2016) (REUTERS) FANTASTIC HANDYMAN VAN PULLING UP AND WORKER OPENING VAN TO GET TOOLS OUT POLISH CLEANER VACUUMING VARIOUS OF BULGARIAN CLEANER CLEANING
- Embargoed: 20th September 2017 13:42
- Keywords: EU migration after Brexit Prime Minister Theresa May Defence Secretary Michael Fallon migrant workers in Britain
- Location: LONDON, BOSTON, OFFHAM, SUCKLEY AND GOOLE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, BOSTON, OFFHAM, SUCKLEY AND GOOLE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Government/Politics,International Trade
- Reuters ID: LVA0046XGL8W7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: British Prime Minister Theresa May told parliament on Wednesday (September 6) that while immigration had been good for the economy, last year's vote to leave the European Union showed that people wanted to control the flow of people coming into the country.
Britain is considering measures to restrict immigration for all but the highest-skilled EU workers, a leaked government document said, plans some companies called alarming and an opposition lawmaker described as "plainly cruel".
That message was reinforced by Defence Secretary Michael Fallon when he said on Wednesday the government would pursue a balanced immigration policy.
In the document, leaked to the Guardian newspaper and marked "draft - official sensitive", the interior ministry said Britain was changing its focus to make sure, where possible, British companies take on British workers rather than migrants.
A ministry spokesman said the government did not comment on leaked draft documents and would set out its initial proposals on immigration controls later in the year.
Large flows of migrants from the European Union were one of the reasons some Britons said they voted to leave the bloc in a referendum last year, but companies, especially those in the catering, social care and retail industries which depend on the steady stream of workers from abroad, say they fear a restrictive immigration policy will leave them unable to hire the staff they need. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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