Tony Blair's government faced internal dissent over plans to grant unrestricted access for eastern European workers, prompting concerns over immigration surges that were ultimately realized.
The release of official files reveals that ministers like John Prescott and Jack Straw warned of potential immigration spikes if urgent controls were not implemented.
The Home Office underestimated the impact of free job access for the eight EU states in 2004, predicting only a minor increase in foreign workers.
Internal opposition within the government foresaw challenges in managing immigration numbers, which later contributed to rising anti-EU sentiment leading up to Brexit.
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