Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2014-01-15-Speech-3-485-000"
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"en.20140115.46.3-485-000"2
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"Mr President, free movement is one of our most cherished achievements, but the recent debate has taken a serious turn for the worse, especially back home in the UK, where we see Conservative and Labour politicians dancing to the UKIP tune, using rhetoric which portrays EU migrants as scroungers. The Liberal Democrats must set the record straight and defend the benefits of free movement, which is a two-way street.
It allows Brits to retire to Spain and thousands of young people to seek jobs all across the European Union. Of course, this does not mean freedom to access benefits without responsibilities. The UK Government is already taking some legitimate action to prevent loopholes in this respect, but we need to separate spin from substance. We need a sensible, evidence-led debate on free movement. Evidence shows that EU migration has brought huge benefits, particularly to the UK Treasury and to the National Health Service, which is propped up by highly-skilled migrants.
We do need to listen to citizens’ concerns about pressure on public services and integration, but let us not pander to UKIP and the xenophobic right-wing press by fuelling inaccurate sterotypes. We owe it to the younger generation to defend the right of free movement and the countless opportunities it brings."@en1
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