Cameron counters Ukip with two year benefit ban for EU migrants
David Cameron is understood to be working on a speech in which he will announce a two-year benefit ban for EU migrants in a bid to counter the threat posed by Ukip.
The Prime Minister is also said to be considering a ban on unemployment benefits for EU migrant workers, following a ruling in Germany which gave the government the power to refuse these benefits if migrants had never held a job in Germany.
Cameron’s speech, expected at the end of this week, comes as think tank Open Europe publishes its plan to restrict access to in-work benefits, seen as the most viable option to reduce so-called benefit tourism. Cameron is thought to be studying the findings closely. “There is a fundamental issue around the UK’s generous in-work benefits, access to which is immediate for working EU migrants. These benefits… act as an effective government-backed subsidy for EU migrants to perform low-paid jobs which does not exist in France or Germany to the same extent,” research analyst at Open Europe Pawel Swidlicki said.