Polish workers do not travel to the UK for the benefits the country offers, Polish Ambassador Witold Sobkow has told an English daily.

Photo: Glowimages

The comments were made in the UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper as Downing Street is said to be studying plans to impose a two-year ban on in-work benefits to migrants. These include tax rebates, benefits on housing and social accommodation.

Asked whether this would curtail the number of Polish workers currently travelling to Great Britain, Mr Sobkow said that he “wouldn’t say it would have an enormous effect”.

“People do not come here for benefits. They come here to work,” he added.

The Ambassador explained that Poland is currently in a drive to attract professionals back to Poland, including thousands of people in the medical profession who currently work for the NHS.

“We want them back. We have lost 2,300 doctors to Britain,” Sobkow said. “They were educated for free in Poland, so we want them back.” (rg/jb)