Immigrants told to treat Europe as your playground

Paul Nuttall, UKIP’s Deputy Leader

While Britain braces itself for a suspected tidal wave of immigrants from Rumania and Bulgaria the EU is busy encouraging citizens to treat Europe as their playground.

A poster and a postcard, entitled ‘Social Security Coordination - Europe is your playground’ has been produced by the Eurocrats boasting of the benefits of moving to other EU countries.

The postcard, which along with the poster can be downloaded from the EU website, says, “Work, study, travel, retire anywhere in Europe” and goes on to explain that their benefits are guaranteed whichever of the 27 countries they chose to live.

It reads, “Ever considered moving to another country in Europe? Thanks to the EU social security coordination system, your social security rights and those of your family members are protected when moving within Europe to work, study, retire, look for a job or simply for a holiday.

“This means that your healthcare, pension, unemployment and family benefits are covered by the EU rules wherever you decide to travel or settle. What’s more, new rules provide for better information and services for citizens.”

Paul Nuttall, UKIP’s Deputy Leader, reacted angrily to the “propaganda” and pointed out that Britain is known all over the world as being an attractive destination because of its generous benefits system.

“We are regarded as an easy touch and even with the benefit system changes introduced this week we will still be a magnet for immigrants, and particularly the Rumanians and Bulgarians, many of whom live in abject poverty.

“I can understand why they would want to come here, and tens of thousands already have, but quite frankly in these hard economic times we are struggling to provide for our own needy without this blatant EU encouragement for people to move safe in the knowledge they are automatically entitled to benefits.

“David Cameron can stand on his hind legs and bleat about benefit restrictions being imposed for EU immigrants but this just shows, what we knew all along, that our hands are tied, yet again, by EU rules, It is a disgrace,” said Mr Nuttall, North West Euro-MP.