'Difficult to imagine' any more India visas, says Hunt

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has all but ruled out the UK opening up its visa system to Indian students and workers in order to secure a much-awaited post-Brexit free trade agreement.

- ADAM WITHNALL

Speaking in New Delhi, where Mr Hunt was engaged in trade talks with his Indian counterpart yesterday, Mr Hunt told The Independent it was “difficult to imagine how much more we could give on that front”.

The issue of visas for Indian nationals to work and study in the UK has long been seen as a sticking point in the talks over a trade deal, and a Diwali 2022 deadline set by former prime minister Boris Johnson was missed after home secretary Suella Braverman said she was worried a deal would lead to an “open borders migration policy with India”.

Now the UK’s stance appears to have hardened further, with a No 10 spokesperson telling journalists last week that “to be crystal clear, there are no plans to change our immigration policy to achieve this free trade agreement”.