Steve Double, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for St Austell and Newquay, has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement today of tough new rules on the benefits that can be claimed by immigrants.
Writing in the Daily Telegraph, the Prime Minister unveiled a new policy that means EU migrants will be able to claim benefits for only three months unless they have serious job offers. In related pledges, he also announced plans to safeguard jobs for British people by limiting to 500,000 the number of UK jobs being advertised across the EU through a government-affiliated website - down from over a million jobs that are currently on offer, as well as curbs on fake colleges which offer student visas for money.
Commenting on the announcement, Steve said,
‘While I am out and about meeting with local people throughout the constituency, one thing that has remained constant is the frustration felt by so many over the so-called ‘benefit tourists’, people from outside of the UK who come here on false pretences solely for the purpose of claiming benefits. People are also increasingly voicing their concerns over the unfair practice of employers being able to recruit solely from cheap, overseas markets, in many cases subsequently depriving our own deserving young people of the chance to get a foot on the employment ladder.’
‘I wholeheartedly welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement today on these matters. Our Welfare State is a wonderful institution, but it should be there to help those who need it the most, and not be left open to exploitation by those who have no intention of contributing in any meaningful way to our great British society.’