EU’s bad deal
AT the start of this week, Sir Keir Starmer set out some sensible steps for reducing legal migration to the UK.
The Prime Minister went nowhere near far enough: his plan would trim only 100,000 off the record numbers pouring in each year.
GettyThe PM could be about to welcome more than 80million ‘young’ EU citizens to the UK if he surrenders to the bloc’s demands for an uncapped ‘youth mobility scheme’[/caption]
But it was a start — as was his admission that, contrary to decades of Left-wing dogma, mass immigration does not automatically lead to economic growth.
By yesterday, however, he stood ready to unravel it all in desperation to secure a “reset” with the rapacious EU, which is demanding a “youth mobility scheme” as the price of any deal.
Set aside the ludicrous notion that anybody aged under 35 should be considered a “youth”.
The number who would be eligible for this free movement programme is a staggering 80MILLION, rising to a potential 150million if a further nine candidate countries join the bloc.
And the Prime Minister won’t say if there will be any cap on the number who will be let in — such is his determination to please Brussels.
The crunch recess summit with the EU takes place on Monday.
Everything we know of what Brussels wants, in return for the lifting of some vindictive checks on UK exports, goes against our national interest.
We would be forced to follow every EU diktat, jeopardising trade pacts with the rest of the world. Bow down to the European Court of Justice. Surrender control of our fishing waters for ever. Slash the fees charged to EU students.
The Prime Minister should tell the Eurocrats a firm No.
Or face the wrath of a British electorate that knows a bad deal when it sees one.
Benefit of work
GETTING workless Britons into productive jobs is the best way to reduce the need for migrant labour, boost growth and, in many cases, improve the mental health and wellbeing of those involved.
So the demand by rebellious Labour MPs for the Government to abandon proposed welfare cuts is virtue-signalling madness.
The number of people on sickness or disability benefits in England and Wales has soared from 2.8million in 2019 to 4million.
The spiralling welfare bill, which hit £48billion last year, is heading for £67billion by 2029/30. It is unsustainable.
One in eight young people is not in employment, education or training and it is blighting their lives. They need a hand-up, not a hand-out.
As for people who, since the pandemic, prefer to live on benefits — the country cannot keep paying for their lifestyle choices.
As the Chancellor said in her Spring Statement, those who can work should work. She needs to stand her ground.
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