All of the major political parties have
had to address public concerns over immigration, whilst carefully
trying to avoid accusations of racism and thereby alienating
potential voters from a variety of ethnic origins
(PA/EMPICS)
Political parties
The major parties’ disputes over immigration policy are an unsavoury
‘bidding war’, according to former trade union leader, Sir Bill
Morris.
Since the 1960s, all their immigration policies have been remarkably
similar. Labour strongly opposed the Tories’ Commonwealth Immigrants
Act in 1962. But then they brought in even tougher immigration
laws in 1965 and 1968. Every government since – Labour or Tory
– has strengthened previous immigration laws.
Both parties now worry about losing votes to the UK Independence
Party (UKIP) and the British National Party (BNP), whose hard-line
anti-immigration policies have won them local councillors. Labour
want to increase the detention of failed asylum seekers and speed
up deportations. But they recognise that immigrants with particular
skills can fill gaps in the labour market. They are calling for
‘managed migration’ through a skill-based points system. Only
skilled workers will be allowed to stay, after they’ve taken English
language tests.
The Tories want to put a quota on the number of migrants entering
Britain and the number of refugees accepted, whatever the merits
of individual cases. They want to pull Britain out the longstanding
United Nations’ Convention on Refugees. They also favour compulsory
health checks for migrants.
The Liberal Democrats say that migration enriches Britain’s economic
and cultural life. But they distinguish between workers within
and outside the European community. They want a quota on immigrant
workers outside the European Union. And they see refugee policy
as a separate human rights issue that should not be subject to
quotas. |
