This sounds like tough talking but with nothing to back it up. Regardless of who does what, it just isn't practical. For a start, are they seriously planning to do a check on every person who comes to the UK. The news yesterday said that was 110,000 people per day in 2018. That's a lot of paperwork. They can't do it themselves via ECRIS because they won't have access any more. If they insist on everyone producing the equivalent of a Police Certificate, that will add a cost for anyone coming to the UK, which would impact on tourism revenues, and if the EU does the same then it will be very costly for every UK citizen travelling to the EU. Also, as some EU states have a different approach to what they actually put on criminal records, that would make it worse for UK citizens who have everything recorded. Like I said, it plays well to the usual tabloids, but if they actually try it then those same tabloids will be more than a little unhappy.

On the other hand, it might be just more bluster as part of the so-called hardline approach to Brexit negotiations. I'm assuming that as a former public schoolboy, the Prime Minister will be familiar with the words "this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you". I don't suppose he ever expected to be saying it to the UK population or to foreign governments. Who says the Westminster elite are out of touch?

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If you are to punish a man retributively you must injure him. If you are to reform him you must improve him. And men are not improved by injuries. (George Bernard Shaw)

In the news reports yesterday threatening an immediate end to freedom of movement if we leave the EU without a deal, there were also comments about making the entry requirements more stringent for anyone with a criminal record:

"A Downing Street spokeswoman added that "tougher criminality rules" for those coming to the UK will be introduced."

As always, no detail and more of a statement than a policy. The concern is that the EU responds down the road on a tit for tat basis and tightens up their proposed ETIAS rules, which at the moment look like they won't be restrictive for the vast majority of us (i.e. only offences within last 10 years and only for those on the list of most serious crimes)