Tony Blair’s Labour government decided to open the UK’s borders to migrants from Eastern Europe in 2004, even though there were concerns from senior ministers. This decision came after eight countries, including Poland, Lithuania, and Hungary, joined the European Union. The newly released government files show that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw both warned that this could lead to a large increase in immigration unless restrictions were put in place. However, other ministers, including Home Secretary David Blunkett, argued that the UK economy needed migrant labour to continue growing.
The papers show that the government initially expected only a small number of migrants, but soon, the number of arrivals was much higher than expected. Straw wrote to Blair, suggesting that the UK should follow other EU countries in imposing restrictions. Prescott also expressed concern about the pressure on social housing and public services. Despite these concerns, Blunkett and other ministers argued that the open borders policy should continue for economic reasons. Blair himself questioned whether stricter benefit rules would be enough to control the flow of migrants and whether a work permit system might be needed.
The decision to open the borders is now seen as a key factor in the rise of anti-EU feelings in the UK, which led to the Brexit referendum in 2016. The increase in immigration, with net migration rising to over 200,000 a year, led to some people blaming migrant workers for taking jobs and driving down wages. In 2013, Straw admitted that the decision not to introduce restrictions had been a major mistake.
Other documents from the same release show that Blair’s government faced challenges on the international stage. A senior US official warned that President George W. Bush believed he was on a “mission from God” to fight the Iraqi insurgency, urging Blair to help bring him back to reality. There were also tensions with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who felt left out of key talks between Blair, France, and Germany, despite supporting the Iraq War.
The papers also revealed that former Prime Minister John Major wrote to Blair, urging him to intervene in the controversy over England’s cricket tour of Zimbabwe. Major argued that the government should protect English cricket from financial losses if it canceled the tour because of Zimbabwe’s human rights abuses.
The documents revealed that ministers in Blair’s government were advised to use post-it notes for sensitive messages to avoid having to release them under the new Freedom of Information Act. This advice came as the law was set to come into full effect in 2005, and ministers were concerned about the implications of having to disclose information.