Immigration bill: Theresa May defends plans to create 'hostile environment'

The home secretary, Theresa May, has defended plans to create a "hostile environment" for illegal migrants to Britain, as immigration lawyers warned her that a system of identity checks for all, including British citizens, would have to be introduced to enforce the government's moves to curb access to privately rented housing and to tackle alleged health tourists.

The warnings come as she publishes her flagship immigration bill on Thursday, which will require immigration checks to be carried out before anyone can open a new bank account, be issued with a driving licence or access routine health treatment.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, May said: "Most people will say it can't be fair for people who have no right to be here in the UK to continue to exist as everybody else does with bank accounts, with driving licences and with access to rented accommodation. We are going to be changing that because we don't think that is fair."

The Home Office bill will include measures spanning six other Whitehall departments including justice, transport, business, health, local government, and work and pensions, and is designed, in May's words, to "create a really hostile environment for illegal migrants". "What we don't want is a situation where people think that they can come here and overstay because they're able to access everything they need," May has said.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/10/immigration-bill-theresa-may-hostile-environment