Such a system would see potential immigrants awarded points according to the skills, education and other factors to judge whether they should be allowed in. They enjoy privileged access to EU markets, but only in return for accepting free movement of EU citizens across their borders, and for paying into the EU budget.
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Davis, addressing parliament for the first time since he was appointed after the vote, said the country could restore control over immigration and still get access to the EU’s single market because it was not in Brussels’ interest to hurt trade. “I think that’s what the British people want”.
The government has not spelled out how it plans to control immigration once it leaves the 28-nation European Union bloc, but May has said curtailing immigration is a top priority.
The EU, Britain’s biggest trading partner, is refusing to negotiate with Britain on the terms of its exit until it formally invokes the two-year leaving process.
He also said that cutting numbers would not necessarily mean Britain would have to give up its access to the EU’s lucrative single market – a fear that has muted some investment.
Since taking office, May has delayed a decision on whether to back a nuclear project at Hinkley Point that is being partly financed by the Chinese.
“Our relationship with China is about more than Hinkley”, she said.
“We have built a global strategic partnership with china”.
Mrs May’s comments on immigration risk upsetting key members of the team she assembled in July to deliver an European Union exit that protects Britain’s global standing and carves out a new role for the country at the vanguard of global free trade.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Theresa May said the United Kingdom would not adopt the points-based immigration system advocated by pro-Brexit campaigners.
“When are they going to tell us how they’re going to deliver, for example, free trade for British businesses while also opposing immigration controls – let alone how they’re going to address the red lines Labour has demanded on the protection of workers’ rights and guarantees for European Union citizens?”
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Mrs May’s words will fuel fears among voters and Eurosceptic lawmakers that having a pro-Remain prime minister in charge will result in a watered-down version of Brexit that does not represent what people voted for. “But a points-based system does not meet that”, she told reporters on the sidelines of the G20 summit in China today.
