By Paola Buonadonna BBC Politics Show

Migrant workers are filling labour shortages, ministers say

The BBC's Politics Show was told there had been no discussion in cabinet on whether to end this country's "open door" policy towards Eastern European migrants, and claimed John Reid's comments had caused "intense irritation at the highest levels of government".

Speaking to police officers in Chester last week, Mr Reid talked of the need to "manage migration carefully", particularly in relation to Bulgaria and Romania, widely expected to join the EU on 1 January 2007.

Following a series of leaks from the Home Office in the summer, Mr Reid's words were widely interpreted to mean that there would be restrictions on the number of work permits issued to new EU citizens.

But Whitehall sources accused Mr Reid of attempting to "box the government into a policy just to satisfy the gaping jaws of the media" - claims denied by the Home Office.

The approach would be similar to those issued in countries like Germany and France when Poland and other former Warsaw Pact states became EU members in 2004.

Then only Britain, Ireland and Sweden chose to allow unrestricted access to their labour markets.

'Unhappiness' at comments

The government had originally predicted only a few thousand people from the ex-Soviet bloc would seek work in Britain after EU enlargement, but figures released this summer showed as many as 600,000 may have entered the UK, the majority from Poland.

The Politics Show has been told Mr Reid's comments caused further "unhappiness" because they might have oversold what the government can realistically do to reduce the flow of migrants, creating an impression Britain can "raise the drawbridge and stop people coming in".

Immigration services may not be able to keep out migrants, critics say

It is not clear whether the government will still consider an open door policy to Bulgaria and Romania when it meets to consider the issue formally, after a date for their entry.

Neil O'Brien, Director of the Euro-sceptic think-tank Open Europe told the Politics Show: "Work permit quotas are a bit of a con. They sound tough but they're not able to stop migration per se.

"Once a country becomes a member of the EU you can't stop its citizens from travelling to the UK for up to three months, from studying here or working in a self-employed capacity.

'Politically untenable'

"You only reduce the number of people who may seek employment with a British company."

Other EU observers pointed out Germany, which operated work permit restrictions, received more immigrants from Poland than Britain did, so it would be misleading to say that work permits would bring down the overall number of people coming.

But former home office minister John Denham, who has been calling for a "breathing space" before Britain receives more migrants from Bulgaria and Romania, welcomed Mr Reid's move.

He said: "I do think it would be politically completely untenable for the government simply to say let's continue with an open door policy, as though there had been no down sides, no problems and no difficulties to work through from the migration that we've had so far."

Denmark is the only EU country so far to have announced its stance towards Bulgarian and Romanian immigrants.

Unlike two years ago, when the first wave of former Soviet-bloc countries joined the union, Copenhagen has announced it will not restrict access to its labour market to new migrants.