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The Prime Minister told business leaders the planned immigration cap will not ‘impede’ companies recruiting skilled foreign staff. David Cameron opened the door to a new wave of immigration yesterday by signalling that the Government will let businesses bring in more staff from overseas.
His words brought claims that the Tories are watering down their tough stance on new arrivals to placate the Liberal Democrats. Critics also warned that a Brussels trade deal with India, currently being drawn up, would lead to ‘British jobs for Indian workers’. Under the terms of the deal, Indian companies could transfer staff to the UK with no limit on numbers and no guarantee that the jobs would first be offered to homegrown experts. That could see thousands of Indian workers flock to the UK, making it far more difficult for the Government to keep a stranglehold on numbers.
The Prime Minister is poised to give a new EU treaty the go-ahead, in return for a deal to cap the Union’s budget, sources say.
David Cameron has signalled that he will back French and German calls for a limited treaty to deal with the fallout of the economic crisis – a move which will infuriate many Tories.
Despite a pledge to hold a referendum on any new treaty, the deal could be pushed through next year without a public vote.
It seems to me that the Coalition are talking tough and yet like all the centrist parties over the last 18 years or so, they are caving in and not doing their job, or at least, pretending to do their job, of sticking up for the ordinary people of Britain and for those who elected them.
I suppose the combination of left of centre, tree-huggers and supposed right of centre Thatcherites was always going to be a Government of which expectations were low. But to have acquiesced, just this quickly, will have taken some of their supporters by surprise. Be afraid for what you vote for, it may find you out!
