A Government attempt to remove the Common Travel Area between the British Isles would have seen British citizens from Northern Ireland having to go through border controls – and show their passport – to travel to England, Scotland or Wales.

But in a late-night House of Commons debate on the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill on Tuesday, the Government withdrew the controversial proposal.

Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said he still believed the proposals were necessary but he would not push them through the Commons at present, accepting amendments from the Tories and Liberal Democrats to remove the clause.

There are currently no passport controls for Irish and UK citizens travelling in the Common Travel Area (CTA) between the two islands but Mr Woolas said the requirement should be in place to tighten security.

The proposal has already been defeated in the Lords and was in danger of ping-ponging between the two chambers.

Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green said he was "delighted" that the Tories' arguments had won the day and yesterday Shadow Secretary of State Owen Paterson said that the Government had "seen sense" by backing down.

He said that the CTA had been of great benefit to "all who live in every part of the British Isles" and said that it should not be abolished.

"A Conservative amendment removing the Government's proposals was successful in the House of Lords and following a further robust defence of the CTA by Damien Green in the Commons, the Government has sensibly agreed to back down," he said.

Speaking in the Commons debate, East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson told Mr Woolas that the plans would isolate Northern Irish citizens from the UK mainland.

"What you have described as limited and proportionate will actually treat all citizens of Northern Ireland, who are citizens of the UK, and travelling within the UK, as if they were non-UK citizens," he said.
But Mr Woolas responded: "I don't accept that - I think that argument shows the misunderstanding of the proposal."

Speaking after the debate, Mr Wilson said: "This Bill would have radically changed the United Kingdom's borders. In effect, it would have placed a very tight border around Great Britain but would have left Northern Ireland exposed and isolated to those involved in international terrorism.

"From day one I told the Government that it was unwise, would be ineffective for the United Kingdom as a whole and treated Northern Ireland people as second-class citizens.

"The cross-party defeat of this Bill is a victory for commonsense."