In a historic vote, Parliament has voted to decisively end free movement in today’s parliamentary vote.
Priti Patel’s landmark immigration reform bill has cleared the third reading of its passage through parliament by 342 votes to 248 giving it a 94 MP majority.
It now moves onto the first stage of scrutiny by the House of Lords before being given royal assent.
The Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal Bill) will repeal EU Freedom of Movement rules which remain embedded in UK legislation after the UK formally left the EU in January.
It is seen to be part of a move towards a more meritocratic immigration system and it is believed that a points-based immigration system will be introduced as promised by Boris Johnson as part of both the Leave campaign and also the Conservative election manifesto.
Labour, predictably, voted against the bill and Keir Starmer has pledged previously to scrap minimum salary thresholds for new immigrants and move back towards previous free movement policies if Labour are elected into power.
Home Secretary Priti Patel MP said in a statement: “Last year the British people sent a clear message that they wanted to end free movement and our landmark Immigration Bill delivers exactly that.
“Labour voting against this Bill shows that while their leadership may have changed, their determination to deny the will of the people has not.”
