The Sundday Times UK, is reporting that the government is to
abandon a controversial plan to impose £3,000 immigration bonds on visitors
from “high-risk” countries in Africa and Asia after Nick Clegg threatened to
block the policy.
The
move will be seen by Labour as a humiliating U-turn for Theresa May, the home
secretary. It came after David Cameron backed off from a full-scale
confrontation with the Liberal Democrat leader, who was blocking the scheme’s
progress through cabinet.
A
pilot project to target visitors from seven countries — including India,
Pakistan and Nigeria — who would have had to pay a cash guarantee or deposit to
deter immigration abuse was to have been introduced this month.
The
plan was to make visitors forfeit £3,000 if they failed to return home by the
time their visas had expired. But in an announcement this weekend the
government said it was canceling the plans
