would be a “fundamental affront to British values of tolerance and respect”.
Mr Khan’s comments come as Downing Street said free movement for EU citizens “as it currently stands”
will end on the 31 October Brexit deadline – despite a replacement system not yet up and running.
No 10 said the structure allowing European Union citizens to freely live and work in the UK would “look
different”, with changes including tougher checks to prevent foreign criminals entering the country.
In his letter to Priti Patel yesterday, Mr Khan said he was “very concerned” about plans to end free
movement on day one of a no-deal Brexit. “I urge you strongly to reconsider,” he said.
The London mayor continued: “I fear that such a reckless change to our immigration system would have far
deeper consequences too.
“Three million EU citizens living in the UK right now – one million of whom are Londoners – make an
enormous contribution to our economic, cultural and civic life.
“By putting the rights and freedoms of EU citizens in the UK at risk in such a careless and brutal fashion,
these plans would be a fundamental affront to British values of tolerance and respect.
“These plans risk providing encouragement and cover for perpetrators of hate crime and discrimination in
the UK who may be heartened by the government discriminating against people on the basis of their
nationality.”
Mr Khan also claimed that to proceed with the plans – despite warnings of “another Windrush” scandal –
could “only be described as cruel”.
The 3 Million group, which campaigns for the rights of EU citizens in the UK, said in a statement: “The
idea of ending freedom of movement abruptly on October 31 in case of no deal is reckless politics.
“It hollows out the prime minister’s unequivocal guarantee to EU citizens he has given only three weeks
ago. Ending freedom of movement without putting legal provisions in place for those EU citizens who have
not yet successfully applied through the settlement scheme will mean that millions of lawful citizens will
have their legal status removed overnight.
“We have been calling for the settlement scheme to be a declaratory registration scheme, so all EU citizens
who have made the UK their home are automatically granted status, as promised by those in government.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “EU citizens and their families still have until at least December 2020 to
apply to the EU settlement scheme, and 1 million people have already been granted status. Freedom of
movement as it currently stands will end on 31 October when the UK leaves the EU, and after Brexit the
government will introduce a new, fairer immigration system that prioritises skills and what people can
contribute to the UK, rather than where they come from.”