This is one of those David Cameron speeches that lends itself to cautious hyperbole. I'm calling it "potentially historic". And in Cameron land, that's as good as it gets.
The Prime Minister's rhetoric on immigration and the EU pivots the Government away from simply promising a debate about our relationship with the European Union and towards outright Euroscepticism. The stuff about immigration and benefits is politically savvy. A lot of people oppose unrestricted EU immigration because of its effect upon jobs and British culture. But probably more – especially among the middle classes – are specifically worried about its cost to the taxpayer. By saying that a Conservative government will effectively turn off the benefits tap, Cameron is shooting Ukip’s fox and reclaiming the issue for the Tories. And the proposals are bold in their meanness. No in-work benefits for new arrivals for four years, no social housing for four years, no benefits for children living abroad, and EU migrants will be asked to leave if they don’t have a job after six months. It’s thought that these measures could affect over 300,000 people currently working in the UK.
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