PM Confirms to Sir Edward Leigh in Commons
The Prime Minister today confirmed to Sir Edward Leigh in the House of Commons that the Government would not consider relaxing visa restrictions in order to obtain trade deals with countries following the UK's departure from the European Union.
"While a free trade deal is valuable in itself," Sir Edward told the Prime Minister, "we should not be held to ransom."
"Does the Prime Minister agree that our new working-class voters who voted for Brexit did not vote to replace immigration from Europe with more immigration from the rest of the world, any more than that when they were told that we would take back control, we would lose control of the channel?"
Boris Johnson confirmed to Sir Edward that "we do not do free trade deals on that basis". The Prime Minister added that "net immigration has gone down" in line with the wishes of the electorate.
The Prime Minister confirmed to me just now there will be no relaxation in visa rules in exchange for free trade deals.
— Sir Edward Leigh MP (@EdwardLeighMP) January 5, 2022
We need a stronger approach to our borders. pic.twitter.com/2m4oWHrcZi
