Britain’s departure from the European Union has significantly weakened the country’s ability to control migration. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said this in an interview with Sky News.
“After we left the European Union, of course, we lost access to pan-European databases that helped track people’s movements within the European Union. This had a very significant impact on our work and our ability to manage migration to this country,” Mahmood said.
She said the British government was holding talks with its European partners to restore closer cooperation. “Data sharing is absolutely critical,” the Home Secretary said, without specifying a timeframe for reaching a concrete agreement.
No return to free movement
Mahmood described the start of a national conversation about the consequences of Brexit as justified, but said the current government would not restore the free movement of people during this parliamentary term. She referred to the election manifesto in which the governing party had pledged not to reinstate the arrangement.
The statement came after Prime Minister Andy Burnham reopened the debate on relations with the European Union and the consequences of leaving it. In the interview, Mahmood did not link a possible improvement in data sharing to a return to free movement.
Changes to the rules on permanent residence
The Home Secretary’s comments came on the day the British government announced a new model for obtaining permanent residency. Under it, the standard period will increase from five to 10 years, while access to settlement will depend on income, profession, compliance with the rules and contribution to society.
People with an annual income of more than £50,271 and some public service workers, including doctors, nurses and teachers, will retain the opportunity to apply after five years. The highest-paid specialists earning more than £125,000 will be able to obtain settled status after three years.
For individuals who have breached immigration rules, a period of at least 20 years is предусмотрен. In cases of illegal arrival in a small boat, the wait could reach 30 years. The government presented the measures as part of a model under which permanent residence must be “earned” rather than granted automatically after a certain period.
Mahmood said the new rules were part of the government’s effort to regain control of the migration system. At the same time, London is seeking agreements with European countries on information sharing, which the Home Secretary said was necessary to track people’s movements and enforce migration rules more effectively.
Sources: news.sky.com, apnews.com