Newly disclosed official documents show that Tony Blair’s Labour government moved forward with opening the UK’s borders to Eastern European migrants in 2004, despite growing concerns from senior ministers.
The decision followed the accession of eight former Soviet bloc countries, including Poland, Lithuania, and Hungary, to the European Union.
While Blair’s government relaxed immigration controls, newly released Cabinet Office files reveal that prominent figures such as Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw cautioned against the move. They advocated for delaying the policy and implementing restrictions to prevent a surge in immigration.
Internal Divisions Over Immigration Policy
The Home Secretary at the time, David Blunkett, led a faction arguing for the economic benefits of migrant labour. He emphasised the need for flexibility and productivity in the workforce to sustain economic growth.
Backed by the Treasury and Work and Pensions Secretary Andrew Smith, Blunkett dismissed calls for transitional controls or a work permit scheme, describing them as costly, bureaucratic, and ultimately ineffective.
Blair himself appeared uncertain, as handwritten notes reveal he questioned whether tightening benefits rules alone would suffice. “Are we sure this does the trick? I don’t want to have to return to it,” he wrote.
However, Prescott warned of the strain on social housing, and Straw noted that other EU nations, including Germany, France, and Spain, had implemented transition periods of at least two years.
He described the lack of similar UK measures as a potential misstep, writing to Blair three months before the policy’s implementation to urge reconsideration.
Surge in Migration and Long-Term Impacts
The Home Office had initially forecast limited impact from granting unrestricted access to the UK job market.
However, the influx of migrants far exceeded expectations, with net migration surpassing 200,000 annually in the years following the policy’s introduction.
The rise in immigration fuelled concerns about undercutting local workers and contributed to growing anti-EU sentiment, culminating in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
In 2013, Jack Straw admitted that failing to impose transitional controls, as other EU nations had done, was a “spectacular mistake” with long-lasting repercussions.
A Controversial Legacy
The open boundaries decision remains one of the most contentious legacies of Blair’s government.
Critics argue it overlooked the social and economic pressures associated with rapid migration, while proponents contend it was necessary to sustain economic momentum during a critical period.
The files, part of the National Archives’ yearly release of documents 20 years after their creation, provide fresh insight into the internal debates and conflicting priorities that shaped one of the most consequential policy decisions of the early 21st century.
