European migrants to land in middle of bitter row

As Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May roll out tough new measures designed to tackle fears the Government is a soft touch on immigration, temporary curbs imposed in 2005 on citizens of Romania and Bulgaria will be lifted.

But polls show the nation is divided on what it could mean for the UK, with one carried out by ICM for the Sunday Telegraph suggesting 72 per cent of people would prefer Mr Cameron to keep restrictions in place, even if it means breaking EU law.

The issue highlighted divisions within the coalition Government this week, with proposals from the Home Office for a 75,000-a-year cap on EU migrants dismissed as “pointless” and “arbitrary” by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

The Government has said it will be “business as usual” on January 1 at the UK border and it remains unclear if additional staff or measures are being put in place at airports and ferry ports in the event significant numbers arrive.

The Government has refused repeated demands to publish or commission estimates of the numbers expected to enter Britain in the face of unofficial research predicting as many as 50,000 people arriving from the eastern European countries each year.

While some have raised fears of a surge in immigration similar to that seen from Poland in 2002, others have accused the Prime Minister of “pandering to prejudice” as he responds to the threat posed by Ukip.

Mr Cameron has rushed through measures to stop migrants claiming out-of-work benefits for their first three months in the UK.

Those found begging or sleeping rough could be deported and barred from re-entry for 12 months unless they can show they have a proper reason to be in the UK.