Speaking yesterday, European Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker warned that Britain should get a fair deal in Europe, but it cannot impose its agenda on the Union’s other 27 members.

He defended as a basic principle of the European Union, the free movement of workers, and said Britain was not in a position to impose its exclusive agenda on all the other member states of Europe.

Mr Juncker added that he hoped that the UK would remain part of the EU - he encouraged Britain to present a list of its reform requests for the EU to study.

If Prime Minister David Cameron is returned to office the Conservative Party has committed to an in/out referendum on EU membership in 2017.

The position of both the Conservative and Labour parties is that immigration to Britain needs to be controlled and managed with the Tories stressing that net immigration should be limited to “tens of thousands”.

Targets

In a letter to the UK media, a group of London-based business leaders including Irishman Declan Collier who runs London City Airport, has stated that placing “arbitrary targets” on the numbers of skilled foreign workers and students allowed into Britain was one of their main pre-election concerns.

“These people fill skill gaps, contribute to our success and, contrary to the rhetoric, boost opportunities for British workers,” the letter added.

Britain's political leaders will each today embark on whistle-stop tours covering thousands of miles across the UK as they enter the final leg of the 2015 general election.

David Cameron and Ed Miliband are planning to travel to dozens of marginal constituencies in a last-ditch attempt to break the deadlock in what is proving to be the most unpredictable political race for a generation.

Polls still do not have either of the biggest two Westminster parties on track for a majority - leaving open the possibility of a scrap for Government on Friday with talks about coalitions or other types of Westminster deals.