A WARNING from Home Secretary Amber Rudd that UK citizens may have to apply for visas to travel to continental Europe in the post-Brexit era would be a shocking consequence of Brexit, the SNP has claimed.
The Tory minister’s admission came as she said that work permits are among the migration curbs being considered by Theresa May’s government for when the UK leaves the EU. Speaking on BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show, Rudd said a work permit system “certainly has value” and “we are not ruling anything out at the moment”, while insisting that any changes must be good for the UK economy.
Rudd accepted that EU nations could choose to impose new entry restrictions after Brexit, including requiring UK citizens to apply for visas to travel to member states.
She agreed that people would be “surprised” if they had to apply for a short-term visa to visit countries such as France but insisted such a scheme could be rolled out.
Stephen Gethins, the SNP’s Europe spokesman, said Rudd’s remarks showed “the serious threat that Brexit poses to an important freedom we have long taken for granted”.
Gethins said the prospect of having to apply for visas to visit EU neighbour countries would “shock” many Scots, the majority of whom backed Remain but were outvoted by the UK as a whole in the referendum in June.
Gethins said: “This admission from the Home Secretary that people travelling from the UK to the EU may require a visa will shock many and exposes the serious threat that Brexit poses to an important freedom we have long taken for granted. It also betrays, once again, the Tories’ complete lack of a plan when it comes to Brexit.
“The ability to travel, live, work and study freely anywhere in the EU is something that we have all got used to and taken advantage of in recent decades.
“It is a huge bonus for Scotland’s economy and culture and was no doubt one of the many positives of EU membership that led to the people of Scotland voting overwhelmingly to remain in Europe.
Gethins continued: “The Scottish Government is doing everything it can to protect Scotland’s place in the EU and UK Government ministers would do well to heed their example by working in the best interests of voters instead of threatening to introduce cumbersome visas for European travel.
“Theresa May must now confirm whether these comments are simply Amber Rudd’s personal opinion or if they do reflect government policy.”
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Rudd had told Marr: “I think they [British citizens] would be surprised. I don’t think it’s particularly desirable but we don’t rule it out because we have to be allowed a free hand to give the best negotiation.”
Rudd said it was a “given” people voted Leave to reduce immigration.
She reiterated the Prime Minister’s dismissal of a points-based system to control EU migration championed by Brexit campaigners in the build-up to the referendum, saying it “simply doesn’t work”.
However, Rudd said her department was considering the alternative of requiring EU migrants to have work permits.
Rudd said the UK will be able to control its borders post-Brexit but stressed any measures introduced would have to be “reciprocal”.
She said: “Once we leave the European Union we will have complete control over who comes into the UK from the EU and who doesn’t, with one or two provisos of course.
“First of all, it’s going to be reciprocal, we are going to have to work out what’s in the UK’s interests as well going to the European Union and what works for our economy and making sure that we get the right balance.”
Rudd also addressed her comments from the referendum campaign when she said Boris Johnson was not the person you would want to drive you home after an evening out.
Following the suggestion that Johnson was now driving Brexit in his role as Foreign Secretary, she said: “Boris is not the driver.
“Theresa May is the driver. The rest of us are in the car.”
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