Landmark post-Brexit immigration bill returns to parliament
The government’s landmark post-Brexit immigration bill will return to parliament today for its second reading before MPs.
Under the new legislation, freedom of movement for EU citizens will cease, and will be replaced by a so-called points-based immigration system.
Home secretary Priti Patel said that the bill would “give the UK full control of our immigration system for the first time in decades and the power to determine who comes to this country”.
Details of the nature of the new system will be released later in the year in the government’s immigration rules.
However, the controversial legislation has met with added scrutiny, coming as it does in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, which has seen the nation’s NHS staff and other care workers, many of whom are immigrants, lauded for their tireless efforts.
Labour’s shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds tweeted: “The Tories rushing this bill through is a huge risk to our NHS and care sector during the coronavirus crisis.
“Frankly, it’s rank hypocrisy to over 180,000 NHS and care workers to clap for them on a Thursday night and say they’re not welcome here today”.
According to a YouGov poll conducted on behalf of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, attitudes have to immigration have changed due to the crisis, with 54 per cent of respondents now in favour of looser controls.
In a statement, the Home Office acknowledged the efforts of the NHS workers, saying: “Our new immigration system will make it easier and quicker for medical professionals around the world to work in the NHS through a new fast-track NHS visa”.
The legislation was first introduced during Theresa May’s premiership, but suffered a string of defeats due to her minority government.
However, with new prime minister Boris Johnson now commanding a comfortable 80-seat majority after December’s landslide electoral victory, the bill is likely to pass.