Rudd also raised the possibility of making it necessary for European Union migrants to the United Kingdom to have work permits, saying the idea “certainly has value”.Appearing on BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Rudd was asked whether United Kingdom nationals might be shocked to have to pay for permission to visit France.
Advertisement
Introduced in 2009, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, USA immigration authorities assess whether a visitor is eligible to enter the country under its visa waiver programme, before they arrive at the border. We want to get the best outcome possible for the United Kingdom but we can’t rule anything out because we don’t know what might happen. “What we’re going to look at is how we can get the best for the economy, driving the numbers down but protecting the people who really add value to the economy”.
Rudd also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reduce net migration to the United Kingdom to tens of thousands and finally hinted at some details of how that might actually happen.
In a speech in London to foreign diplomats and journalists Ms Davidson will say that the United Kingdom must show it intends to be a “beacon” for liberal, democratic values across the world.
Ms Rudd said she did not believe charges for crossing the Channel were “particularly desirable” and people would be “surprised” by the move – yet she was unable to rule it out.
She backed Mrs May’s rejection of an Australian-style points system, but suggested that work permit system was being considered.
The new model “has got to be reciprocal”, she said. French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve said last month that France supported “a European ESTA, like that in the US, Canada and Australia”.
Ms Rudd also responded to concerns that the number of student visas available to people coming to the United Kingdom from non-EU countries could be reduced in order to cut immigration numbers.
Asked if she was happy with Johnson at the wheel now he is foreign secretary, Rudd responded: “Boris is not the driver. The rest of us are in the vehicle”.
“There’s going to be no blanket banning of students coming to the United Kingdom but we are looking at bringing down the numbers overall”.
Speaking about the fall in the value of the pound following the European Union referendum result, the ONS said: “The general consensus among economic commentators is that the recent depreciation should boost export and manufacturing competitiveness, and will potentially lead to higher long-run volume growth”.
Advertisement
Shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham claimed that the fees would add further pressures on the purse strings of cash-strapped families attempting to go on holiday.
