5,000 a day tell Cameron to curb influx of Romanians: Online petition could see issue debated in House of Commons

Speaking out: An e-petition calling on the Prime Minister to block Romanian and Bulgarian workers from coming to the UK has gathered 100,000 signatures potentially prompting a debate in the House of Commons

A petition calling on David Cameron to block Romanian and Bulgarian workers from coming to Britain is being signed by 5,000 people a day.
So far 100,000 have signed the Downing Street e-petition – and the scale of public feeling means the issue is likely to be raised in the House of Commons. 
Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007, but the number of low-skilled workers who could get jobs in Britain was capped at 25,000. That limit expires at the end of this year.
The campaigners want the barrier to remain active for another five years. 
Their open letter, which is available to read online, says: ‘In 2014, EU restrictions are set be removed, allowing nationals of Bulgaria and Romania free movement to the UK.
The move is similar to the one that granted access to around 600,000 Polish immigrants to enter Britain over recent years.
‘Despite Bulgaria and Romania joining the EU in 2005, restrictions were put on the number who could come to Britain. However, those restrictions will be abolished in 2014.
Once the restrictions are lifted all newcomers will be entitled to claim benefits, housing, child, jobseekers etc.’
Quoting estimates that there are currently 1.5million people seeking work across the two countries, the e-petition warns the move could put pressure on ‘housing, infrastructure, schools and healthcare’. 
Ministers have not calculated how many people they expect to arrive next year. But an influx of economic migrants could undermine the Prime Minister’s goal of cutting net migration – the difference between those arriving and leaving – to ‘tens of thousands’.

Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the MigrationWatch think-tank, said: ‘This is another indication of the strength of public concern about the risk of a significant inflow from Romania and Bulgaria.’
His researchers believe around 50,000 Romanian and Bulgarian nationals will come to Britain every year from January 2014.

German problem: Earlier this month the left-wing mayor of Duisburg, in Germany, warned that Bulgarian and Romanian migrants had wreaked havoc on his town

At the moment they are only allowed to work here if they are self-employed or investors, or if they take short-term employment as fruit pickers.
But after January, bosses will have to treat new arrivals from the countries exactly the same as British workers.
Romanian politicians have rejected claims that the New Year will see a flood of arrivals. They point to the fact that many have already arrived including thousands of labourers who worked on the Olympic Park.
However, both Romania and Bulgaria are relatively poor countries, with a minimum wage of around £1 an hour compared to £6.19 here.

Systematic pressure: The e-petition warns the move to lift restrictions could put pressure on 'housing, infrastructure, schools and healthcare'

And the UK offers full benefits when immigrants find work, including housing and child benefit and child tax credit.
Earlier this month the left-wing mayor of Duisburg, in Germany, offered Britain a cautionary tale.
Soeren Link warned that Bulgarian and Romanian immigrants had wreaked havoc on his town, sending crime rates soaring.
He said: ‘It is costing us millions and will cost us more. We didn’t ask for this problem and we can’t handle it alone.’
Under current rules, any Downing Street e-petition that attracts 100,000 signatures has to be passed to the Commons Backbench Business Committee and considered for a Parliamentary debate.