Britain's work permit system could solve the problem of immigration from new EU countries, the Conservatives have claimed.

In an exclusive interview with ePolitix.com the party's shadow home secretary David Davis argued the current system could be used to prevent thousands of migrants coming to Britain when the 10 new countries join the EU in May.

"What we could do, if we wanted to allow enough people in to help our economy grow, enough to give encouragement but keep things under control, is simply use the work permit system properly," he said.

"It allows over 180,000 net migrants to come to the UK as it stands. Interestingly, it’s what the Swedes have decided to do in the last week or two. Suddenly they have realised they have a problem."

Permit

He claimed the permit system would work because the it is already in place and is not very bureaucratic.

"You could do it tomorrow. There’s no reason that the government could not say that on May 1 ‘we are going to control all incomers from the Eastern European countries with the work permit’.

"That would be perfectly feasible because the system already exists. There might be a bit of lag in starting this late to get it to the embassies but not very much. It could be done relatively quickly and cheaply."

No deterrent

Davis said the system of deciding immigration and asylum applications currently offers little deterrent.

"What is also the case is that they know that nine out of 10 people end up staying whatever the judgement. So you’re onto a reasonably good bet, as it were, whatever the strength of your case," he said.

Davis also attacked claims that the UK was set to be "swamped" by thousands of immigrants.

Swamped

"I try to avoid phrases like swamped because of themselves they create a kind of hysteria," he said.

"What you have to focus on - and you have to be very clinical about this - is what the direct local effect will be.

"The problem is felt at a very local level. If people feel they can’t their youngsters into the school they want or can’t access the hospital or they can’t get the house they want because of a large number of incomers to their community then that’s the sort of thing that breeds discontent and on which extremist parties flourish."

ID cards

The shadow home secretary said there is a case for ID cards but that ministers have not "solved the practical questions" as to how they would work.