The Prime Minister’s vow to find an extra 500,000 jobs for British workers is questioned as the legality of the pledge is in doubt.
Reported by The Telegraph, the impartial House of Commons library says that European law stipulates that workers from EU member countries must ‘enjoy equal treatment’ when applying for jobs under European treaties signed by Labour.
This means that giving jobs to British workers who are currently claiming benefits and are on state-sponsored schemes to gain employment could be a form of ‘indirect discrimination’.
A Downing Street source told the paper that the government would deliver on the promise saying that it is their belief there has been no suggestion from any other European countries or the Commission that it is remotely problematic.
Chris Grayling, the shadow work and pensions secretary, claimed however, that Brown had misled the public over the British jobs claim.
Recent research, says The Telegraph, shows that more than half of all new jobs have gone to foreigners since Labour were elected.
Between 1997 and 2006, 862,000 jobs were taken by foreigners – 54 per cent – compared with 731,000 jobs for Britons.
In further bad news for Labour, this week, official estimates are expected to reveal a sharp rise in the British population over the next 50 years because of immigration.
