British voters, not Barroso, are my boss over EU immigration says UK prime minister

David Cameron is to set out further plans to curb the rights of EU migrants to work in the UK by Christmas, insisting the British people and not Brussels officials are his "boss". No 10 is said to be examining several options but no decision has been taken. Outgoing European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso suggested an "arbitrary cap" on migrants would not be accepted. But Cameron said he would "fix" the issue.

Downing Street has rejected claims it risks alienating other member states and putting its EU membership in doubt. In recent days, it has been reported that the UK could seek an "emergency brake" to stop EU migration after it reached a certain level or to limit the number of National Insurance numbers issued to new arrivals from the EU.

Cameron has said the relationship with the EU will be reformed ahead of an in/out referendum, to be held by the end of 2017, if his Conservative Party gains a majority at next year's general election.

Speaking on a visit to Essex on Monday, the prime minister said: "I'm very clear about who the boss is, about who I answer to and it's the British people. They want this issue fixed, they're not being unreasonable about it and I will fix it."

Barroso has warned that the PM's hopes of curbing EU immigration could be illegal.

In a speech at think tank Chatham House in London, he repeated his view that an "arbitrary cap" on immigration would not accepted by other EU states, saying the EU was willing to "accommodate the UK's legitimate concerns" but not if they challenged the fundamental principles of the organization.

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