Anglia David Cameron News

The Prime Minister's given a speech in Ipswich setting out tough new rules for immigrants hoping to claim benefits and get on council house waiting lists.

David Cameron said immigrants would have to earn the right to use public services.

There's concern though that the announcement could stir up racial tensions in some communities in this region.

• Politics
• Ipswich
• David Cameron

David Cameron has said he will be introducing a "local residency test" this spring that will mean "local people will rightly get priority in the social housing system".

He added: "Migrants will have needed to live here and contributed to this country for at least two years before they can qualify."

• Politics
• David Cameron
• Immigration

Outlining his immigration plans, David Cameron has said: "Under the previous government immigration was far too high and the system was badly out of control. Net migration needs to come down radically from hundreds of thousands a year to just tens of thousands."

He added: "As we bring net migration down, so we must also make sure that Britain continues to benefit from it...

"That means ensuring the people who do come here are the brightest and the best, the people we really need with the skills and entrepreneurial talent to help create the British jobs and growth that will help us to win in the global race."

• Politics
• David Cameron
• Immigration

Jonathan Portes, director of the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, said immigrants were "significantly less likely" to claim benefits than people born in the UK - and that those coming from EU countries put more into the economy than they took out.

He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme arrivals were mostly younger people whereas the bulk of spending went on healthcare and pensions for older people.

"All the evidence suggests that people who come here from within the European Union make a substantial net contribution to the public finances - they pay in far more than they take out," he said.

He also played down the impact of health tourism as a "minuscule" part of a wider funding issue.

• Politics
• David Cameron
• Immigration

The Prime Minister, David Cameron is in the region today.

He will be at a college in Buckinghamshire to mark the start of National Apprenticeship week.

According to recent figures, 45,820 people started apprenticeships in the East of England last year, a rise of 15.2% on the previous year.

• UK
• Buckinghamshire
• David Cameron

The Prime Minister will be visiting Bedfordshire today. David Cameron will be on the campaign trail ahead of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections. Voters across the region will get their chance to vote for their choice Police Commissioner in just under two weeks time.

• UK
• Bedfordshire
• David Cameron

Prime Minister David Cameron has paid tribute to a Norfolk soldier killed in Afghanistan.

Sergeant Lee Paul Davidson was serving with the Light Dragoons who are based at Swanton Morley when his vehicle hit a roadside bomb.

• UK
• David Cameron
• Afghanistan