The new Brexit minister has suggested that new EU migrants who head for Britain could be sent home to avoid a spike in immigration ahead of a withdrawal from the bloc.

David Davis, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union told the Mail on Sunday Braitain “may have to deal with" a potential increase in those travelling to Britain, adding that "there are a variety of possibilities.”

He said: “We may have to say that the right to indefinite leave to remain protection only applies before a certain date".

However, he said that such judgements would have to be made in "reality" and "not speculation".

He stopped short of guaranteeing the status of EU nationals already in the country. Mr Davis said: “We will get a generous settlement for EU migrants here now and a generous settlement for British citizens in the EU.”

He rejected concerns foreign nationals could be used as leverage by Britain in negotiations.

“If you do it all together nobody is a bargaining counter. It is based on the presumption that they [the EU] will be rational about their own citizens interest, which they will be,” he told the newspaper

Introducing the new Cabinet Show all 23 1 /23 Introducing the new Cabinet Introducing the new Cabinet REUTERS Introducing the new Cabinet George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer Youngest man to hold the post for 124 years, he was arguing for the modernisation of the Tory party before Cameron. Member of the "Notting Hill set". In-tray: Leading the response to the worst recession since the War through heavy spending cuts and tax rises. Jokes he will soon be Britain's most unpopular person. Carr's verdict: Drinks blood recreationally (Group O). GETTY IMAGES Introducing the new Cabinet Theresa May, Home Secretary Home Office brief is just about the only job Ms May, 53, has not held on the front bench in the last 13 years. One of the few state-educated members of the new Cabinet. Don't mention those leopard-print kitten heels. In-tray: Give the cap on immigration a humane feel. Same needed for Tory commitment to lock up a record 96,000 prisoners by 2014. Carr's verdict: Failed to do anything with Shadow Leader of the House, or to sell welfare reform. Brings a Nurse Ratched appeal to the Home Office. PA Introducing the new Cabinet Ken Clarke, Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor Tory "big beast" who held senior cabinet posts under Thatcher and Major. On the party's Europhile left, he stood three times for the leadership – most recently in the contest won by Cameron. In-tray: Tackle the swelling jail population. Likely to put a brake on Tory plans for a new Human Rights Act. Carr's verdict: Just the job for a man of his age and weight. Something to do before, and during, lunch. GETTY IMAGES Introducing the new Cabinet Iain Duncan Smith, Work and Pensions Secretary "Do not underestimate the determination of a quiet man," IDS told the 2002 Tory party conference during his ill-fated two years as leader. Has since driven Tory social policy thinking. In-tray: Will seek to action the ideas generated by the centre-right think-tank he set up in 2004, the Centre for Social Justice, on economic dependence and the benefits culture. Carr's verdict: Served a period of penitence in some of the worst places in Britain. The Quiet Man will now raise his voice. GETTY IMAGES Introducing the new Cabinet Michael Gove, Education Secretary Former journalist aged 42, has been shadow Schools Secretary for two years. One of Cameron's "inner circle". In-tray: The boycott of national curriculum tests for 11-year-olds by heads and teachers. Another controversial issue ahead is his plan to introduce Swedish-style independent "free" schools run by teacher and parent groups. Carr's verdict: A young hero with a (hobby) horse and a (wooden) sword. Seen as the champion to free the schools. GETTY IMAGES Introducing the new Cabinet Vince Cable, Business Secretary Lib Dem deputy leader has a reputation as an economic guru. Only became an MP at the age of 53. In-tray: Reforming the banking sector and reining in bankers' pay - has always talked tough. Also takes responsibility for universities (heavy cuts) and Royal Mail. Carr's Verdict: Played a perfectly good game for the county. Now in the national side and amazed by the speed, the ferocity, the violence of the game. He is still vertical. EPA Introducing the new Cabinet Liam Fox, Defence Secretary In 1996, as Under-Secretary of State at the FCO, he put forward the Fox Peace Plan to try to end Sri Lanka's civil war. On the right, and initially known to some Cameroons as "Dr Strangelove", he was PPS to Michael Howard when he was Home Secretary. In-tray: Afghanistan. And has already launched Strategic Defence Review to cut defence spending. Carr's Verdict: Still can't quite understand how he isn't leading the party. "Why not me?" the face in the shaving mirror asks every morning. PA Introducing the new Cabinet Andrew Lansley, Health Secretary Son of a doctor and an accomplished technocrat who has shadowed the post since 2004. But does he have the vision to transform the service in the new era of austerity? In-tray: The NHS is to be protected from cuts – but must still find £15bn-£20bn of savings in the next four years to meet increased demand. Pledged to slash admin costs by 30 per cent. Carr's Verdict: A mind like a bowl of ratatouille, the approach of an angry, middle-aged woman. People have died to escape his bedside manner. GETTY Introducing the new Cabinet Francis Maude, Cabinet Office Minister Was Financial Secretary to the Treasury prior to losing his seat in 1992. Won his current seat five years later and was shadow minister for the Cabinet Office. In-tray: Will have to play a vital role if smooth relations between the two parties are to be ensured. Carr's Verdict: Known as the man who took the Tories' sewage out. Also brought quite a bit in. Getty Introducing the new Cabinet Lord Strathclyde, Leader of the House of Lords Thomas Galloway Dunlop du Roy de Blicquy Galbraith, 2nd Baron Strathclyde – or Tom to friends. First entered the House of Lords in 1986, serving first as a junior whip, then various ministerial positions. Jovial and known for throwing lavish parties with pink champagne on ice in the bath. In-tray: Ensure the upper chamber falls into line with the Government. Carr's Verdict: Cunning, ancien régime mind. He has forgotten nothing, and learnt quite enough. Lee Durant Introducing the new Cabinet Chris Huhne, Energy and Climate Change MP for five years and twice candidate for the party leadership, losing to his rival Clegg. Educated at the independent Westminster School, Oxford and the Sorbonne. In-tray: Ensure green issues remain on the agenda with his coalition partners and fight off rival departments. Carr's Verdict: He missed out on the leadership of the Lib Dems by a couple of hundred votes, but missed being Home Secretary by something far more piffling. Photoshot Introducing the new Cabinet Jeremy Hunt, Culture Secretary Contemporary of Dave and Boris at Oxford, he spent the 1990s teaching English in Japan and making money in the IT boom. In-tray: Small matter of the Olympics, not least keeping it ahead of time and on (an admittedly massively revised) budget. Will also have to direct with some dexterity the sword of Damocles that will continue to dangle over the arts. Carr's Verdict: Perfectly nice fellow of deeply hidden talents. PA Introducing the new Cabinet Eric Pickles, Communities Secretary Bluff Yorkshireman appointed party chairman by David Cameron in 2007. "Plain-speaking" and a rare Northerner and grammar school boy in the top Tory team. In-tray: Cut the cost of local government. Has talked of purging "town hall fat cats" who earn more than cabinet ministers. Carr's Verdict: Vast, exact replica of Industrial Revolution boiler adding a completely unnecessary level of authenticity to the party. REUTERS Introducing the new Cabinet Andrew Mitchell, Development Secretary Worked as a UN peacekeeper in Cyprus in the 1970s, and has organised social action projects for the Tories in Rwanda. In-tray: International development and Africa played virtually no role in any party's election campaign. Priorities stated earlier this year were to cut funding to more prosperous developing nations, notably China, and boost it to the poorest. Carr's Verdict: Nothing known of him other than that he flew Air Ashcroft. EPA Introducing the new Cabinet Philip Hammond, Transport Secretary Successful businessman and former consultant to the World Bank, with a reported personal wealth of £9m, he joined the Westminster ranks in 1997. Has held umpteen Shadow Cabinet roles over the last 12 years. In-tray: Transport seems an obvious target for cuts. As recently as last month the Conservatives suggested that the Crossrail scheme for London might be scrapped. Carr's Verdict: The trains will not dare to run late. The unions driving them will be another matter. REUTERS Introducing the new Cabinet Danny Alexander, Scottish Secretary Clegg's closest confidant and chief of staff. The 37-year-old worked for the pro-single currency group Britain in Europe before winning his Highlands seat five years ago. In-tray: Stem calls for independence led by the Scottish Nationalists (a referendum is due next year) by reassuring Scots their voice is heard loud and clear by the Tories, who have only one seat in Scotland. Carr's Verdict: Red-headed manifesto-writer. Brain slightly too large for head. Getty Introducing the new Cabinet Cheryl Gillan, Welsh Secretary A lawyer and former marketing guru whose estimated wealth is £1.4m. Previously served as Tory spokesman on trade and industry, foreign affairs and home affairs. Has promised to "cut through the bluff and bluster of Welsh politics". In-tray: Commands more Tory MPs in Wales than at any time since 1987. Her commitment to full Welsh devolution is likely to come under scrutiny. Carr's Verdict: A long time coming, but worth the wait. Getty Introducing the new Cabinet Owen Paterson, Northern Ireland Secretary A Eurosceptic, he was a businessman before being elected as an MP in 1997. Has been shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland since 2007. Previously served as shadow Minister for Transport. In-tray: Although it's a less important job than it was in the past, he will be Mr Cameron's eyes in Northern Ireland - making sure he is aware of problems before they flare up. Carr's Verdict: Dashing, galloping man of the right. Always ready to pour oil on troubled waters. Photoshot Introducing the new Cabinet Caroline Spelman, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Spent most of her twenties in the sugar beet industry and is a published author on biofuels. Unfortunately paid her child's nanny from parliamentary staffing allowance. In-tray: Will have to push hard for the success of Conservative schemes, notably "conservation credits", under which developers must pay for damage done to the environment, to be spent on improvements elsewhere. Carr's Verdict: Inherited Ann Widdecombe's voice but doesn't quite know what to say in it. Alex Huckle-Alpha Press Introducing the new Cabinet David Laws, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Former investment banker, 45, who as his party's schools spokesman struck up a rapport with Michael Gove, now Education Secretary, who said of him: "His is a voice I have always benefited from listening to." In-tray: The man who will be wielding the axe over departmental budget submissions as the new Government seeks to reduce public spending. Carr's Verdict: Decent, understated. His melancholy sense of the world's intransigence gives texture to his master's youthful certainty. EPA Introducing the new Cabinet Patrick McLoughlin, Chief Whip Son and grandson of Staffordshire coal miners, he joined the Commons in 1986. John Major first sent him to the Whips office in 1995. Cameron made him shadow Chief Whip 10 years later. In-tray: He's the man straddling the faultline between the two parties now governing together, and will have the role of ensuring two sets of backbenchers support government policies. In the event of a political earthquake, he will be at ground zero. Carr's Verdict: Don't say anything nasty about him. Getty Introducing the new Cabinet Baroness Warsi, Without Portfolio Standing for the Tories at the 2005 election, she became the first Muslim woman in the party's history to do so. She lost, but two years later was elevated to the peerage as the Lords' youngest member, becoming shadow Minister for Community Action. In-tray: As party chairman, she will have to quickly get a handle on running the affairs of a party in government and establish working relation- ships with Lib Dem counterparts. Carr's Verdict: Spirited, interesting, amusing. How long will that last? Getty

Elsewhere, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has reassured the people of Gibraltar the government will take "whatever action is necessary" to safeguard the overseas territory amid fears of Spanish incursion following the vote to leave the EU.

Citizens on 'The Rock' voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union and its Chief Minister has called for an opt-out of Brexit so it can keep access to the single market and the free movement of people. And within hours of the EU referendum vote being declared Spanish ministers once again tried to lay claim to the territory.

Mr Johnson met with Chief Minister Fabian Picardo to tell him Britain will would never let Gibraltar pass into Spanish control without the consent of the people.

Following the London meeting, Mr Johnson said: "I was delighted to meet Chief Minister Picardo. I reassured him of both our steadfast commitment to Gibraltar, and our intention to fully involve Gibraltar in discussions on our future relationship with the EU.

"The people of Gibraltar have repeatedly and overwhelmingly expressed their wish to remain under British sovereignty and we will respect their wishes.

"We will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their wishes.

Who is David Davis?

"Furthermore, the UK will not enter into any process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content.

"We will continue to take whatever action is necessary to safeguard Gibraltar, its people and its economy including maintaining a well-functioning Gibraltar-Spain Border."