Not good news. TM is an absolute HORROR.

Hi,

Fundamental EU principle - the right of free movement. I'd like to see her try to get a 'rule' in place that prevents an EEA national moving to the UK being unable to bring their partner.

The FM rules only work because unless you live or work in another EEA country you are treated as a UK citizen. Theresa May can do with you as she pleases under a 'rule'. Exercise your treaty rights and go there for 6 months and she HAS to treat you as an EEA citizen and MUST allow your partner to enter.

The important word is 'treaty' and she needs a new one to change it. She has every right to control UK citizens but NOT EEA citizens.

Alan I am really enjoying reading your replies. It is very hard not to be emotional / emotive when the situation these (UK) rules have us in is so, well, highly emotional. Thanks for keeping me in check.

What is she doing now? :-(

Theresa May has said at the Conservative Party conference that she is thinking of restricting the right of EEA citizens "from some countries" migrating unchecked to the UK with their non-EU partners.

"Some countries" is the interesting bit. If she tried to do it with France or Spain both countries may just throw out all those ex-pats who've retired there!!

So - it ain't going to happen. It would be against the EU Treaties. If she could turn off EEA migrants like a tap she would have done it on getting into office. She can't. End of.

But the Conservatives promised to bring down net migration to the tens of thousands from the hundreds of thousands by the time of the next election so she will control only those she has power to control - British citizens and their non-EU partners.

Of course she could bar more students and restrict economic migrants (skilled workers), but even George Osbourne doesn't want that, pointing out that it would hit the UK economy hard if those numbers were slashed.

Theresa May is running headlong into an election without bringing home a key Conservative manifesto pledge. Given because the Tories have repeatedly linked the words 'migrant' and 'criminal' in the public's mind. She will fail, but not without causing misery to families caught by the FM rules - rules brought in as a desperate attempt to bring the numbers down a little bit and save face by declaring she's being tough.

The FM rules are said to be there to prevent non-EU partners adding to the benefit burden. That's utter rubbish. She knows it - it has the figures in the consultation document published before the FM rules were implemented.

The FM rules are her way of saying "Look David....look how hard I'm trying to get those figures down. I'm determined we stay in power in 2015 by showing the voting public how we're protecting the public purse from these money grabbing UK citizens who simply want to bring someone here to live with them......not for love. No. Just to rip us off!.........Well of course I know that's not true but it get's votes....".

This is not about benefits, it's about Theresa May's political future.