• Cabinet minister insists migrants made a positive contribution to UK
• Clarke risked anger of No.10 with claim Britain is now ‘more exciting’
  
• He rejected the idea that freedom of movement laws caused problem
  
• Put on the spot, William Hague refuses to back his colleague’s remarks
  

By
Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor

PUBLISHED:

10:01 GMT, 13 January 2014

|
UPDATED:

12:33 GMT, 13 January 2014

Immigration from the rest of Europe has made Britain ‘far more exciting and healthier’, Kenneth Clarke has claimed.

The Cabinet minister was slapped down by Number 10 after claiming the European Union had not been to blame for ‘unacceptable waves of migration’.

But William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, refused to endorse the remarks, warning it was too early to tell what impact large numbers of foreigners will have on the UK.

Mr Clarke’s controversial comments come as he prepares to embark on a visit to China in his role as David Cameron’s trade envoy.

The pro-European minister put himself at odds with Conservative moves to take a tougher stance on both the EU and immigration.

Mr Clarke, minister without portfolio,  told the Financial Times that migrants made ‘a positive contribution to our economy’ and had helped to create a ‘far more exciting and healthier’ society.

He went on to dismiss the idea that freedom of movement rules had triggered an influx of people to Britain.

‘I just don’t think it’s true that the European Union is responsible for unacceptable waves of migration.

‘The
idea that you can have some fundamental debate that somehow stops all
these foreigners coming here is rather typical rightwing, nationalist
escapism, I think.’

The intervention from a senior Tory minister will be uncomfortable for Downing Street, which has tried to woo voters tempted by the UK Independence Party by promising tougher action to curb immigration and benefits tourism.

David Cameron’s official spokesman distanced himself from Mr Clarke’s remarks, insisting immigration had been uncontrolled under the Labour government, in particular when the A8 countries like Poland and Lithuania joined the EU.

‘Immigration in the decade up to 2010 was allowed to be out of control,’ the spokesman said.

‘One of the mistakes that was made in the decade before 2010 was of course not imposing transitional controls on the A8 accession countries.’

Mr Hague sounded uncomfortable when challenged on the radio this morning about his colleague’s comments, and insisted it was too early to assess the impact of EU migration.

‘That depends what happens in the future,’ the Foreign Secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

‘The migration that we’ve had so far is something that we have all accepted; migration in the future, though, based on benefits rather than work would not be acceptable and we are making that distinction very clear.

‘Of course we’ve accepted a great deal of migration from the European Union, but people should be able to move in the European Union for work; they should not be moving in the European Union in order to take advantage of benefit systems.’

Mr Cameron rushed through laws last month to prevent new arrivals claiming benefits for three months.

Labour has also revealed it would back moves to limit freedom of information across the EU to people who have jobs to go to.

Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary, insisted the founding principle of the
EU was ‘free movement of workers not free movement of jobseekers’.

Iain
Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, yesterday said it would be ‘brilliant idea’ for migrants to
face a two-year benefits ban, something London Mayor Boris Johnson has proposed.

Mr Duncan Smith proposed a new raft of welfare reforms last
night, with the aim of cracking down on benefits tourism, getting
people into work and cutting the welfare bill.

Comments (616)

Share what you think

• 
  
  Newest
• 
  
  Oldest
• 
  
  Best rated
• 
  
  Worst rated

The comments below have not been moderated.

Ade,

Hull, United Kingdom,

7 minutes ago

Put him on the list too.

Calgary Cowboy,

Calgary,

27 minutes ago

Poor old Ken. He has stopped taking his medication me thinks! Someone please give him a spliff, might help him to see the wood from the trees. what a Burke!

The man at Fidiots,

Stockport, United Kingdom,

32 minutes ago

Mr Clarke, Mr Clarke what are you doing out on your own? You’ve not been taking your tablets again have you?

Mike Brit expat OAP,

Khon Kaen, Thailand,

45 minutes ago

Once a prat, always a prat!

Bemused,

Bedford,

52 minutes ago

Is EU short for Evidently Useless?

Wisewoman,

London and Brazil,

1 hour ago

Time to go back to bed Mr Clarke!

knigto,

solihull,

1 hour ago

This man always has been a total buffoon and a complete idiot.

delmcml,

Swindon, United Kingdom,

1 hour ago

Maybe so, but the incompetent governments surely have!

Anyoldiron,

Wolverhampton, United Kingdom,

1 hour ago

Ah! He is in denial then. As for Mr Hague? Soon he may be able to get in line for a “proper job”. for we are using the General Election in 2015 as the REFERENDUM the people have been denied since 1975, and as we know-WITHOUT DOUBT- all three major Political Parties want to remain in the EU-we are only voting for those that want OUT OF THE EU-FOREVER. Maybe the back benchers in your party Mrr Hague, will be on the FRONT BENCH?

Eric Grinham,

Sydney, Australia,

1 hour ago

Ken – this has to be a wind up – you couldn’t really be serious .
Mind you , somebody votes this clown in .

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Who is this week’s top commenter?
Find out now