Tory MPs today warned David Cameron to defeat moves to create a refugee “free-for-all” in Europe or risk massive defeat in the EU referendum.
Brussels officials want to abolish a convention that stops migrants who reach the EU from claiming asylum in any country they like. One proposal would issue quotas for asylum seekers based on countries’ economic wealth.
No 10 today said Mr Cameron would resist the ideas and reaffirmed the UK opt-out from the borderless EU area and its migration rules. But officials fear the reforms could be pushed through.
The battle could not come at a worse time for the Prime Minister, who is hoping to stage an In-Out referendum this summer, with some polls showing the outcome in the balance.
Former Cabinet minister John Redwood, who backs the Leave campaign, said: “The UK cannot possibly live with a change in these rules. It will be a good test of how much influence Mr Cameron has in the negotiations.
“It is a good reason to leave to control our borders. Anyone might think Brussels is backing the Leave side.”
Current rules prevent thousands of refugees each year from gaining the right to settle in the UK by claiming asylum here. Instead, under the Dublin Regulation, they must seek asylum status in the first EU country they reach.
However, the system has come under unprecedented strain from the flood of migrants crossing the Mediterranean.
A European Commission spokesman said: “As announced last September, the Commission will set out a reform of the Dublin system, with proposals due by March. The revision will aim at ensuring a fairer distribution system.”
In Davos Mr Cameron will deliver a keynote speech on Britain’s role in the EU tomorrow. A Tory spokesman said: “The Dublin Regulation is a vital tool in our ability to manage asylum claims.”
