Theresa May wants to ban European migrants from the UK unless they have a job lined up.
Blaming a “broken European migration system” for the migrant crisis in which thousands of people have died as they seek to flee civil war and poverty across north Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere, the Home Secretary said the "European system of no borders" had made the migrant crisis worse.
Writing in the Sunday Times, Ms May argues that the Schengen Agreement allows jobless citizens to move to countries in search of work and benefits, putting pressure on public services and infrastructure.
May also wrote that she would lead a cross-Whitehall crackdown this autumn to kick foreign students out at the end of their courses unless they had graduate-level jobs lined up.
The Home Secretary wrote: “Reducing net EU migration need not mean undermining the principle of free movement.
“When it was first enshrined, free movement meant the freedom to move to a job, not the freedom to cross borders to look for work or claim benefits.
“Yet last year, four out of 10 EU migrants, 63,000 people, came here with no definite job whatsoever.
“We must take some big decisions, face down powerful interests and reinstate the original principle underlying free movement within the EU.”
Her comments come days after official statistics showing net migration to the UK has reached an all-time high of 330,000.
Many have criticised her calls as being ill-thought through, pointing out that British people would therefore be unable to live abroad when they retire.
Theresa May also argues the EU's open border policy had made the migrant crisis worse. Reality check.Borders will not stop desperate people.
— Michael Cashman (@mcashmanCBE) August 30, 2015
I hope Theresa May has plans for the return of 400k UK pensioners, living in the EU without a 'job'. That's the logic pic.twitter.com/RWP1kotFJY
— John Beare (@johnbearesnp) August 30, 2015
"Theresa May says only migrants with jobs should be let in to UK". Due to Tory policies 100s of 1000s Brits found work in EU in 1980s.
— Andrew Spooner (@andrewspoooner) August 30, 2015
Wow Theresa May really has lost it. Anyone who has ever gone to France or Spain, got a job there.. Or vineyard workers or fruit pickers..
— Dave W (@makapala) August 30, 2015
Principle of free movement within the EU should only apply to those with a job, says Theresa May! Tell millions of retired Brits in EU that!
— Michael Cashman (@mcashmanCBE) August 30, 2015
Theresa May should ***k off and work for a third world dictatorship. Free movement is a right! #citizensofearth
— Adam Turner (@TheRealTurnip) August 30, 2015
Presumably if you are looking to go and live abroad once retired, Theresa May's plans will put a stop to those plans?
— Nick Carthew (@nickcarthew) August 30, 2015
More than 300,000 people have tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea so far in 2015.
