News

Warning of fresh move on passport controls

THE BRITISH Home Office is to make a renewed effort to impose passport controls on travel into Great Britain from the Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

The effort was criticized by a succession of TDs (Irish members of parliament) and representatives from the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands at a meeting in Swansea yesterday of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly.

So, in a couple of weeks the UK government has axed the IOM/UK reciprocal NHS program, announced a £90 million reduction in Common Purse/VAT funds and is preparing to tighten up the passport controls. I have a few theories concerning the Big Picture here — what’s yours?

Irish Times