Whatever David Cameron’s promised ‘big bang’ announcement on immigration in the EU is, it has certainly excited Conservative backbenchers. A group of them confronted him this afternoon to ask whether Britain would be moving to a points-based system for EU migration along the lines of Australia (something Ukip advocates), and they say that he did not reject it. This has made them even more excited.
The Prime Minister was speaking to the ‘No Turning Back’ group of Tory MPs, which some of those present at the meeting described as ‘a little uncomfortable’, mainly because these are the MPs who tend to cause him the most trouble. Others felt the meeting was relaxed, but left wondering whether Cameron really would deliver on these hints that he’s been dropping over the last few months. It would be foolish to work a group of very rebellious (and very good at organising others to become rebellious) backbenchers into a lather about the possibility of really big immigration reform and then deliver something a bit boring on benefit tourism, for instance.
They also discussed the European Arrest Warrant, which Tory MPs are threatening a major rebellion on if the government does decide to opt back in. But MPs present say Cameron was quite clear that they would have to deal with their discomfort on this matter, as he doesn’t plan to budge. Some think it would be better to let it pass on the strength of Labour and Lib Dem votes and to allow those who disagree either to vote against or to find important matters in their constituency that keep them away from the Chamber. But this would make the Tory party look rather weak.
This meeting seems to be part of Cameron’s latest outreach programme to ensure that Tory MPs behave themselves if things go badly in Rochester. But as ever he did it in a slightly odd way, pointing out to the group that this was the first time he’d ever attended it, which rather highlighted the distance between the leadership and the group, which claims to keep the Thatcherite flame alive.
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