George Osborne will tour allies in northern Europe today as he seeks to build support for Britain’s renegotiation of its EU membership.
The chancellor’s whistle-stop tour includes Sweden and Denmark, who like the UK are outside the euro area, as well as Finland, which does have the single currency.
The Tory leadership is hoping to enlist other non-euro countries as it seeks concessions, including the ability to discriminate against benefit claimants from other EU states.
Migration statistics to be published this week are expected to heap more pressure on the prime minister to curb the tide of jobseekers from Europe.
His demand that EU migrants be made to wait for at least four years before being eligible for most benefits is being strongly resisted by many other members, who are not on Mr Osborne’s itinerary.
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Aides said that the chancellor would concentrate his message on the need to protect the right of non-euro members as the eurozone continues to integrate.