David Cameron announces benefits crackdown on EU migrants

David Cameron looked for EU leaders’ support for his proposals that aim to curb on welfare benefits for migrants.

17:45 28 November 2014

Prime Minister David Cameron has laid out plans that will curb the welfare benefits for migrants. He also passionately asked for the EU leaders’ support for his proposal and said he would “rule nothing out” if he did not get the changes he wanted.

Under the plans, migrants will have to wait for four years to get access to certain benefits.

Brussels said the ideas were “part of the debate” to be “calmly considered.”

Cameron said: "We deserve to be heard and we must be heard. Here is an issue which matters to the British people and to our future of the European Union.

"The British people will not understand - frankly I will not understand - if a sensible way through cannot be found, which will help settle this country's place in the EU once and for all."

Mr Cameron revealed that a migrant working in the UK with two children gets about £700 a month on average in support from the state. This is twice as much compared to the amount paid in Germany and three times as much as in France.

"No wonder so many people want to come to Britain," he observed.