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August 20, 2019

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UK to get tough on EU entries post-Brexit

Britain said yesterday it will immediately end freedom of movement for people from the European Union after Brexit on October 31, in a policy shift under British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

“Freedom of movement as it currently stands will end on October 31 when the UK leaves the EU,” a Downing Street spokeswoman said.

She added the government planned “tougher criminality rules for people entering the UK” as part of the new hardline stance.

Furthermore, the spokeswoman said: “Details of other changes immediately on October 31 for a new immigration system are currently being developed.”

The change comes amid growing fears Britain is set to leave the 28-member bloc without a divorce deal in two and a half months.

Around 3.6 million EU citizens already in Britain have been told to apply for “permanent settled status,” under an interior ministry scheme started by Johnson’s predecessor Theresa May.

So far only around 1 million have signed up for the status.

May’s government said in January that it would end free movement “as soon as possible” after a no-deal Brexit but keep allowing EU arrivals “for a transitional period only.”

Legislation to deal with the issue is stuck in the parliamentary gridlock over Brexit. Johnson has said he favors a skills-based immigration system post-Brexit but Downing Street is yet to unveil details.

Critics representing EU citizens claim that he is trying to evade parliamentary scrutiny of his changed stance toward new arrivals after Brexit — and fear those already in Britain could get mistakenly caught out.




 

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