This week British Prime Minister Theresa May activated Article 50 and thus officially launched the process of separating the United Kingdom from the European Union. In recent years, few believed in this outcome.
What does that mean for immigrants?
Free entry tor EU citizens in the United Kingdom will be possible for at least another five years, announced Theresa May according to the British media. Prime Minister of Great Britain, said that the British should be placed under the control of its borders, but that does not mean that EU citizens will not be allowed to entry.
Britain will need at least three years to fully secede from the EU. She added that is crucial that the British public, as part of the vote that they took last year, be sure that they have control of their borders, and control of their immigration. May believes that that is exactly what the British will have when they leave the EU. She also said that companies and people should be given time to adjust after Brexit, and country will consequently introduce a specific implementation period.
UK independence party leader Paul Nuttall accused the British prime minister: "The back sliding is in full swing and for Theresa May, it is no longer possible to hide it." He added that there is no need for a transitional or implementation period, and that businesses across the UK should all start preparing right now for a time when open immigration will not exist anymore.
A pressure group Leave Means Leave has called upon caution, since there could be a wave of migrants from the European Union coming to claim their citizenships rights before a cut off moment. They said that the Prime Minister must not fail to set a cut off point on immigration, or Britain will face a crisis as roughly 1.25 million EU migrants will likely move to UK, causing a breaking point at their public services and transport.
What do the citizens want?
This week was published an ICM poll that suggested that the majority is relaxed about the possibility of Free Movement happening after Brexit. They were asked if they would accept the free movement for a couple of years, and 54 percent of people declared it acceptable, and only 29 percent of people said it is not acceptable.