German Chancellor Angela Merkel is warning UK Prime Minister David Cameron that she will not compromise over the principle of free movement of workers, and London’s attempt to limit limiting immigration from other European Union nations would be a “point of no return”.

Cameron’s embattled Conservative government is under growing pressure from the xenophobic, anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP) ahead of the May 2015 elections.  Downing Street is trying to find ways to ban migrants who do not have a job, and to deport those who are unable to support themselves after three months.

But Merkel reportedly told Cameron that she’d rather see the UK leave the EU, according to a report in Der Spiegel magazine.  Downing Street is not commenting.  Germany has already rejected a proposal to impose quotas on low-skilled EU migrants by limiting their access to national insurance.  If Cameron does insist on limiting the number of immigrants from other EU states, Merkel believes “there will be no going back”.