Tory anger over reported possible compromise on migration

Backbench Conservative MPs have reacted angrily to reports of a possible compromise which would allow Britain to remain in the European single market after Brexit with a temporary halt on migration from the EU. Citing senior British and EU sources, the Observer on Sunday reported that an emergency brake on EU migration was among the options under consideration for keeping Britain inside the single market.

Countries such as Norway, which are in the European Economic Area (EEA), must accept the principle of free movement of people, as well as paying into the EU budget. But the EEA agreement allows for safeguard measures and transitional arrangements which could be used to halt EU migration for a number of years. Liechtenstein, which is in the EEA, has a transitional arrangement on free movement of people which effectively gives it control over immigration from the EU.

Veteran Eurosceptic John Redwood said there should be no negotiation over taking back full control over immigration and other areas of sovereignty.

“The UK did not recently vote for a slightly beefed-up version of Mr Cameron’s attempted renegotiation with the EU. We voted to leave, to take back control of our laws, our money and our borders. Those phrases were repeated throughout the Leave campaign, heard and understood by many, and approved by the majority of voters,” he said.

Steve Baker, chairman of the European Research Group of hardline Eurosceptic Conservative MPs, said the group wanted to be constructive but warned Theresa May that she must live up to her promise to fully implement the referendum decision to leave the EU.

“If we end up with the government doing things that don’t end the supremacy of EU law, don’t leave us able to control our own migration policy and leave us in the EEA, then there will be a great deal of dissatisfaction,” he said.

“British migration policy needs to be operated on the basis of British citizenship, not EU citizenship. We want to have taken back control and be seen to have taken back control.”

Foreign secretary Boris Johnson said on Saturday that he was confident that Britain could retain access to the single market while introducing curbs on migration.

"I have no doubt that a balance can be struck over the next few weeks. This is something where everybody wishes to make fast progress on in the economic interests of Britain and the European Union. There is a deal there to be done and the faster we can get on and do it the better," he said.

EEA member-states are obliged to accept the EU’s “four freedoms”, including free movement of people but Article 112 of the EEA agreement allows for time-limited “safeguard measures” in the event of “serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties of a sectorial or regional nature”.

The EEA allowed Liechtenstein to introduce a quota system controlling the number of workers allowed to enter the tiny country, with a review every five years. In 2009 and 2015, it was agreed that there was no need to change the arrangement.