German Chancellor threatens “consequences” if UK caps EU immigration following Brexit. Via LI:
In a rare move, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has threatened the British government with “consequences” if it were to restrict immigration from the EU member states after the country formally breaks away from the union. “If the British government says that free movement of people is no longer valid, that will have its price,” German Chancellor said. “Merkel threatens the Brits,” reported the leading German newspaper, Die Welt.
If Britain were to put a cap on the number of EU immigrants allowed into the country, “we would have to think about what obstacle we create from the European side,” Merkel warned. German Chancellor’s latest threats came in the backdrop of recent reports that British Prime Minister Theresa May was planning to end the open immigration from the EU countries, once Britain leaves the union following the Brexit negotiations.
In a “barely veiled threat”, as The British newspaper The Telegraph described it, Merkel told the May government that the “British car industry relies on supplies from continental European countries. It is up to the British side, who say they want minimum disruption.”
And more:
Thanks to Brussel’s open borders policy, millions of EU immigrants have been claiming welfare benefits in Britain. These benefits often cover their extended families living in EU countries. Many British taxpayers see this as a misuse of their welfare state.
Surprisingly clear words from Angela Merkel aimed at Great Britain. If the brits consider restricting the free movement of people than the European Union must consider consequences.
“If the British government says that free movement of people is no longer valid, that will have its price,” Merkel said on Wednesday (…)
The EU, in that case, must consider restrictions aimed at the Brits. You can’t preserve the good aspects of the EU without ensuring the free movement of people. [Die Welt, May 17, 2017; author’s translation]