me

politics

UK
world
sport
football
opinion
culture
business
lifestyle
fashion
environment
tech
travel
all

Theresa May
The Observer
TUC and businesses urge Theresa May to act on rights of migrants
Leaders say uncertainty over 3.2m EU citizens in UK will inflict serious damage on
economy

Prime minister urged to guarantee right to remain for EU migrants

The prime minister is being urged to guarantee right to remain for EU migrants in
Britain. Photograph: Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA
Toby Helm Observer political editor
Saturday 17 December 2016 20.17 GMT

View more sharing options

Shares
242
Comments
2,051
British business and the trade union movement have made an unprecedented joint
demand to Theresa May to guarantee immediately the rights of European Union
migrants to remain in the UK, warning that further uncertainty will inflict serious
damage on the British economy.

The Brexit fallout for EU citizens in the UK, and Britons in the EU Q&A
Read more
In a strongly worded letter to the prime minister, the British Chambers of Commerce
(BCC), representing companies with a combined workforce of 5 million employees,
and the TUC say that more delays will be bad for business, families, local
communities, and public services, such as the NHS.

At an EU summit in Brussels last week, May told EU leaders that she wanted a
decision about the rights of 3.2 million EU citizens living in the UK, as well as the
more than a million UK residents in other EU states, to be made as soon as possible
but only after formal talks are triggered in March next year.

However, in their letter sent to Downing Street on Saturday, the BCC and TUC
demand that May demonstrate leadership with a bold move now that will end
the worry and uncertainty for millions of people, and for companies, whose futures
have been thrown into doubt by the 23 June Brexit vote. The BCC and TUC say that
many EU citizens are already leaving the UK and more will follow unless a decision
is made imminently.

They say that migrants should no longer be used as bargaining chips in Brexit
negotiations, but instead be given the reassurance we would expect to be shown
to UK citizens across the Continent.

In their letter, BCC director general Adam Marshall and TUC general secretary
Frances OGrady say: The business communities and workers we represent across
the United Kingdom share a deep and abiding concern for the rights of EU citizens
currently living and working in this country.

They write: Today, we urge you to break the deadlock and give an unequivocal
commitment that EU citizens working here will have a permanent right to remain in
the UK.

The stories you need to read, in one handy email

Read more
We recognise that this would be a bold unilateral move, particularly before the
start of a complex Brexit negotiation. But it is the right move for these workers, for
the businesses that employ them, for the Exchequer, and for the UK economy as a
whole.

It would also send a clear signal to our colleagues and to our European friends that
Britain is committed to doing the right thing. Securing EU citizens right to remain
would provide much-needed certainty for businesses, working people, their families
and local communities.

In addition, the government must hold to account the small number of unethical
employers who exploit migrant workers to undercut pay and conditions of
employment.

This uncertainty is hugely worrying for working people and their families who have
made Britain their home.
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady

So far, the government has stuck to its line that it will not guarantee the rights of
European Union migrants in this country until those of British citizens in other EU
states are also confirmed.

OGrady told the Observer: This uncertainty is hugely worrying for working people
and their families who have made Britain their home.

Its the right thing to do. But its also about what is right for Britain, too. Continued
doubt about the status of workers from the rest of the EU is bad for business, and it
puts services like the NHS at risk.

The government must also crack down on the minority of employers who exploit
migrants and undercut wages in the local community.

Marshall said: Business communities across the UK are deeply frustrated that
ministers have declined to guarantee the residence rights of their EU employees
and colleagues. Some firms are already losing key members of their staff as a result
of this avoidable uncertainty.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 2.1 million EU nationals were
employed in the UK in the first quarter of 2016 224,000 more than in the same
period in 2015.