LONDON (AP) The British government says it is dropping a contentious plan to charge some visitors a 3,000 pound ($4,800) security deposit to enter the country.
The proposal sparked outrage from affected nations, including India and Nigeria, when it was reported earlier this year.
A pilot project had been due to start this month involving visitors from a handful of "high-risk" countries. The deposit would have been refunded upon departure but forfeited if travelers overstayed their visas.
Officials and businesspeople in the affected countries condemned the plan, which split Britain's coalition government. It was backed by members of Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative Party, but his Liberal Democrat deputy, Nick Clegg, vowed to block it.
The government said in a statement Sunday that it had "decided not to proceed" with the scheme.
