Howard criticises government over immigration “confusion”
Michael Howard has questioned the government’s policy on letting new EU nationals work in the UK, accusing Tony Blair of being unsure of what path to take.
The leader of the opposition demanded to know “who speaks for the government”, implying he had heard very different views from both the prime minister and the home secretary.
Mr Howard and his party are calling for “transitional controls” on citizens of Poland, Hungary and the other accession states due to join the EU in May.
He believes that the government need to impose a two-year ban to prevent such people working in Britain, but accused Mr Blair of experiencing a ‘climbdown’ at today’s prime minister’s question time.
“We’re hearing one thing from you at the despatch box and completely different things from others in your own government,” Mr Howard said.
“You said one thing last Wednesday. You were contradicted that very afternoon by your own official spokesman. You were contradicted at the weekend by the home secretary, then by another official spokesman and by the home secretary again on Monday.
“So last week we saw a bold statement on Wednesday, good headlines on Thursday, a climbdown on Friday and total confusion by the weekend – a familiar pattern from you.”
Mr Blair responded by saying he saw nothing ‘complicated’ in his government’s resolution to look at the benefits system in order to ensure that freedom of movement after May 1 was not abused.
