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Tories call for tougher control of immigration
Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor20 Oct 2008
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THE Tories today issued a new call for tougher curbs on immigration as they warned that more than 80 per cent of migrants to Britain since 1997 came from outside the EU.
Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said that official figures showed that 2.3 million people have moved here since Labour came to power.
Of these, 1.96 million, or 84 per cent, came from outside Europe, where migration can be controlled, while only 374,000, or 16 per cent, had come from the EU. Mr Grieve said the figures showed that the Government had displayed a "failure to control economic migration from outside the EU" and called for a "fundamental change in approach" that would restrict the numbers arriving from outside Europe. The Tory attack follows comments by the new immigration minister Phil Woolas, who caused a furore at the weekend by suggesting that he wanted to curb migration to prevent Britain's population spiralling to more than 70 million, as official projections have suggested it will if the current rate of arrivals continues.
Amid criticism from some Labour MPs and campaign groups, Mr Woolas - who was also responding to concerns about a lack of jobs for British workers - was accused of backtracking yesterday after appearing to water down his comments in favour of immigration curbs.
Writing in today's Evening Standard, Mr Grieve said the change of tack was leading to confusion about the Government's true stance and said the only answer was firm action, including an annual limit on economic migration from outside Europe.
"For a long time ministers buried their heads in the sand, ignoring the problems that uncontrolled immigration was steadily building up," he said. "Net immigration has quadrupled under Labour - fuelled both by the lack of transitional controls on new EU member states, and a failure to control economic migration from outside the EU.
"We need the kind of fundamental change in approach that cannot be delivered through media spin. We have pledged an annual limit on economic migration to Britain."
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that even in 2006, after the admission of Poland and the other new East European member states, only 32 per cent of 315,000 migrants came from the EU.
By contrast, 215,000, or 68 per cent, came from outside Europe, with some of the biggest numbers from the Indian subcontinent and Africa. Similarly, between 1997 and 2006, 1.96million people have arrived in Britain from outside the EU, while only 374,000 have come to this country from Europe.
Between 1997 and 2007, 1.29 million foreign citizens were granted the right of settlement. Nationals from EU countries do not need permission to reside here permanently. In London, where the overseas workforce has played a significant role in boosting the economy, one in three jobs is held by a foreigner.
Reader views (12)
I am a reverse case of benefit rules in the UK. After losing my job i applied for benefit. I was told i did not qualify because of my partners part ownership of a property in germany.
I worked and payed taxes for 32 years!! When i needed help i couldn't get it. I now live in Germany. I had no choice but to leave the UK.
Thanks a lot labour.
Steve, Cologne, Germany.
- Steve, Cologne germany, 19/10/2009 10:05
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The Tories are absolutely right to raise the issue of non-EU immigration. No doubt the official figures of nearly 2m people of non-European origin arriving on our shores do not include the illegals/asylum seekers? Can the government tell us how many of the 2m are working and paying tax, and how many are claiming benefits and living in social housing?
- Ab, London, 19/10/2009 09:05
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This was bound to happen with Labour's spineless approach to immigration. They have pushed this belief for years that any talk of immigration is 'racist', and we're all supposed to buy such fatuous nonsense and pay through our noses in taxation for the privilege. How anybody believes a small country with a finite supply of land can play host to half the world is beyond me. Just wait for the looming recession to bite hard to see what people really think about Labour's millions of immigrants. The days of Labour are numbered, however much expert fraudsters such as Campbell and Mandelson will spin the news from now until polling day.
- Richard, London, UK., 19/10/2009 09:05
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Well if 80% of the immigration is not from the EU then 80% of these imports will not be going back to their countries of birth Recession or no recession.
These are ‘lifers’ and will be on full benefits.
What pathetic mugs we all are. Well done Labour!
- Andy, sussex, 19/10/2009 09:05
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Australia has strict rules for migrants - no dole nor free health (except emergencies) for at least 2 years. If they choose to come here, they pay their own way. And they are largely happy with that - you never hear any complaints, as they are genuine migrants. Unfortunately the UK has lowered the bar to such a low level, and taxpayers will have to foot the bill, not to mention the general degradation of society caused by free loaders.
- Mark T, Sydney, Australia., 19/10/2009 09:05
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How many of those non-EU people have cash in hand jobs like corner shops or taxis ? Do they pay any tax or just use their cash to buy flats in auctions and act as slum landlords.
- Ed Lancey, London, 19/10/2009 09:05
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EU migrants should also be kept under control. The number of all migrants should be related to the total number of jobless workers in this country.
- Vince London, West London, 19/10/2009 09:05
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It's very easy to control Eastern European migrants. Have they made themselves intentionally homeless! Very simple.
- Mike, London, UK., 19/10/2009 09:05
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With free education, health, housing, benefits no wonder England attracts so many immigrants yet who is looking after the British? Its far too easy to "visit" and out stay visas as immigrants knows they can get lost and never get caught.Whilst the immigrants/asylum seekers get priority treatment the hard working class suffer and pay for the mistake that Labour has imposed. There are no jobs for the British yet I found more foreigners are taking on jobs due to equal rights that employers are forced to partake. Look after your own people first! In Jersey to get accommodation you have to qualify in categories for cheaper housing. Non-qualifiers (immigrants) PAY premium to stay somewhere so why can't England impose the same? Stricter immigration control is much needed but may be too late. Labour party - listen to YOUR people, enough is enough.
- Anna, London, UK., 19/10/2009 09:05
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What this article fails to say is that the vast majority of the people allowed to enter the UK has been from poor third world nations and most of these people are unskilled and poorly educated; do we have too many educated skilled people here in the UK that we have to balance the numbers with these migrants from around the world? Most of them are supported by some form of welfare and many are receiving more benefits than people who were born, worked, and paid taxes in the UK. This government is shameful and anti British!
- Brandon Thomas, London, UK., 19/10/2009 09:05
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With the magnatude of EU presence in London, I find these figures, like the embarrassingly contested 2005 statistics, crazy.
The pressure of EU migration of the city is crippling. So, restrict EU and non EU migration.
- Maria, London, UK., 19/10/2009 09:05
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The only way the next Government is going to get out of the impending Financial Fiasco is to sacrifice the NHS. It was a lovely idea, but realistically the UK must be the only country on the planet to offer free healthcare at the point of use: I don't think most British people quite understand the lure of it to people in poverty with no healthcare. It has to be the worst-administered black-holes of tax-payers money, and if the system was modernised along the lines of other European countries (here in France for example you have to be registered to pay tax to get a Carte Vitale, which entitles you to a sliding-scale of reimbursement - after you're presented with the bill - from your chosen 'insurer', with the State being one of the insurers you can choose from).
Free education is quantifiable and long-term, but free healthcare is worth a cheap flight and a few weeks stay. I've even over-heard white South African grannies boasting to their friends about their nephews in England who they are going to stay with "because it's all free there, you know!".
- Roz, Chamonix, France, 19/10/2009 09:05
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