Member Article

LCCI renews call for London visas as May reveals EU nationals proposal

Theresa May’s ‘fair and serious’ offer to give EU nationals the opportunity to build up their rights in the UK over five years has been met with a mix reaction from political rivals and industry figures amid debate about whether they go far enough.

The Prime Minister has outlined proposals that will see EU nationals currently residing in the UK, and those who arrive during an as yet undetermined ‘grace period’ will be given the opportunity to build up five years’ of residency at which point they will be entitled to a special ‘settled status’.

Under the proposal, those who obtain this new categorisation will be given full access to the same rights as British citizens, including access to NHS services, pensions and rights to work for life.

The plans are the government’s opening gambit on the thorny issue of the rights of EU nationals currently residing in the UK, with both sides wanting the issue solved as early into the negotiations as possible.

The issue has a particular bearing on the capital with over 1m of the 3m EU citizens currently living in Britain residing in London, and the city’s hospitality, construction and tech sectors especially reliant on workers from the EU and beyond.

For the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the proposals offer some welcome clarity on the issue, who claim that many London businesses will be relieved that the government has finally shown their hand on the matter with recent uncertainty causing some EU nationals to leave the UK.

However, the LCCI’s Chief Executive, Colin Stanbridge, still believes the offer is lacking in detail and falls some way short of providing the sort of protections many of their members would like to see.

He questioned when exactly the five year period would be assessed and sought clarification from the May as to what the post-Brexit immigration system will look like.

“That is why we are calling for an evidence based approach based on need rather than arbitrary caps, numbers or general promises,” said Stanbridge. “This includes a Shortage Occupation List, London Visas for those already employed here and properly issued work permits for those from outside the UK to come and live and work in the London area.”

Perhaps rather predictably, the proposals have also drawn criticism from May’s political opponents, with both the Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas, and Labour’s Keir Starmer criticising the proposals for not unilaterally guaranteeing the rights of all EU nationals currently in the UK, regardless of length of stay.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also taken aim at how long it has taken the government to broach the issue and believes the half-baked proposals fail to offer the necessary security and clarity for concerned EU citizens.

In a Facebook update, he said: “It has taken a full year since the EU Referendum for the Prime Minister to come up with a plan which does not come close to fully guaranteeing the rights of EU nationals living in the UK.

“Her proposal doesn’t go anywhere near giving the three million EU citizens living in Britain - one million of whom are Londoners - the certainty they need to make long-term plans for themselves or their families.

“It is unacceptable for the Prime Minister to be treating EU citizens living here and contributing to our economy and society as bargaining chips. By doing so she is treating British people living in Europe, the same.”