Government immigration clampdown
Updated on 18 October 2008
Immigration minister, Phil Woolas, says the UK's been a soft touch for immigration but it's time to make it "harder" to get into this country.
The government is opening an immigration debate as the economy slows.
As unemployment soars they're calling for British jobs for British people. But is this pointless scaremongering when immigrants are leaving anyway?
"It's been too easy to get into this country in the past and it's going to get harder", was the Immigration Minister Phil Woolas's pledge today as he warned that the number of people allowed into Britain under the points-based system might have to be reduced because of the economic downturn.
Mr Woolas said that as unemployment rose, immigration became an ''extremely thorny'' issue.
The government has never put a limit on Britain's population, but Mr Woolas's statement that it couldn't allow the numbers to reach 70 million, has caused concern among some Labour MPs.
