Myths can be halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on. So it is with the great weekend story that in 2000 Labour ministers had "a deliberate policy" but a concealed one to "open up the UK to mass migration".
Its source was a former (and good) speech writer of mine, Andrew Neather, who worked for me when I was Home Secretary.
I'm glad to see that he now says that his "views have been twisted out of all recognition".
I read the original stories, and more comment on it yesterday, with incredulity, since they are the reverse of the truth. I spent my time as Home Secretary seeking better to control immigration, by new laws and more effective administration. My 1998 Immigration and Asylum Bill was not heralded by anyone as an "open door" policy, because it was the opposite. I was damned by many on the Left for my pains.
I am, however, unapologetic about its effect. It has worked. Asylum applications, at 25,000 a year, are now a third of their peak (and below the average in the European Union 15); the dreadful backlog of appeals which was there in 1997 is being overcome, and enforced removals and voluntary departures are up threefold. A language test for spouses seeking indefinite leave to remain has been brought in; a minimum age of 21 set; and new laws on forced marriages enacted.
Asylum and illegal migration was the preoccupation then. Now it is work permits. As the economy boomed, work permit numbers did rise rapidly, and so did those coming in from the new "accession states" of the EU, such as Poland (far in excess of the thorough estimates with which ministers had been presented), all to fill jobs which employers - not ministers - judged were not being taken by UK-based workers. But it was never an "open door" and the old system has now been replaced by the Australian-style points system.
Immigration brings, and has brought, enormous benefits to the UK. Our history has been built on it, and the diversity it has brought to our lives is to be celebrated.
I am always ready to debate immigration policy. I do so all the time. Partly in preparation for Question Time last Thursday with BNP leader Nick Griffin, I spent an afternoon one Friday knocking on doors in a BNP-contested ward in Dagenham. I met no one who was signed up to Mr Griffin's race-based politics, but plenty of people disturbed by the rapid change in their area - with a pretty sudden rise in black, Asian and Eastern European residents - and anger as a consequence that long-standing residents were losing out on housing waiting lists.
I don't dismiss either concern. I've seen the pace of change in my own Blackburn constituency, though what is perceived as a consequence of immigration today is often movement into an area by second and third-generation Asian families.
On housing, housing minister John Healey is encouraging councils to make more effective use of the discretion they already have to take account of length of residence, and quite right too.
I'm clear: this is an issue that won't go away by not talking about it. But I'm just as clear that talk of "secret plots to encourage mass immigration" are simply untrue.
Reader views (43)
Watching QT the other night left me with a distaste for the outright corruption we face in debating immigration. How is it possible to gauge what indigenous Britons feel if the overwhelming majority of the audience is multi cultural. The hypocrisy of a panelist claiming there was no such thing as indigenous British and subsequently referring to Winston Churchill as being part native American was self evident. If there is no such thing as native British, how can there be native Americans?
- Clive Christian, Derbyshire
There is no benefit to immigration Mr Straw, it does not make our lives 'diverse' or 'interesting' or 'enriching'
or any of the other sunday supplement adjectives you, Neather et al can conjure up.
You've been found out, perhaps you can start planning a trip 'halfway round the world' when you're out of a job next summer. I'm sure it will be an enriching experience!
- Toni, London, England
Hilarious that Straw denigrates "race-based politics", when the whole basis of the "diversity" cult is a belief that the indigenous races of the UK are not good enough, and hence need other races. This disbelief in the ability of white Britons is of course pure racism. Funny too how other countries don't see the same shortcomings in their own people.
- Graham, Bradford, England
Mr Straw,
It is difficult to justify the economic benefits of immgration in a recession, to people who have lost their job, or are in fear of losing it.
Why don't you put in place, a link between unemployment and immigration. ( When unemployment is high, immigration will be lowered and vice versa)
That way people will see that immigrants, are needed when the economy is doing well, because more jobs will be created. It will also give people more time to get another job, before more immigrants are let into the country to compete with them for the new jobs that will be created when the recession is over.
- Danny, London, UK
mr straw ,
is there any remote possible chance you would care to comment on these comments ?
- Clive, london
The main problem that I see today is that the professionals who are here on the HSMP scheme are the ones that are taking the "Professional Jobs" that should be given to UK Citizens. Having been made redundant after 20 years in the IT industry, being told that "someone else can do your work cheaper" and knowing that the person is here on a HSMP make's middle class professionals feel let down by Labour and their open door immigration policy.
This is where professional like myself are discontent with Labour and it's policies on immigration, hence the support for the BNP.
It would be good to know how many people are here in the UK on HSMP's and working in jobs that could be done by UK Citizens, hence reducing the number unemployed.
- Syed Ahmed, SW London
I left britian because dispite both my wife and i having good jobs and degrees we felt that britian never put us first. The competion for housing,nice area to live, education, sporting opportunities and jobs are very high.
They never try to give the people of britain a better quality of life. Just cheeper labour.
I consider myself to be educated and not a racist
(although i am english).
I have a degree and a technical job, so i am probably low middle class.
Now i live in Oz, where i pay for my children to attend public school because we are on a visa, i pay for base health cover , it will be 2 year before i can get education for free and two year before i can get bennifs.
We have less money now than when we lived in England.
But at least i do not feal like a alien!
- Mike, oz
Mr Straw,
how happy you must be to finally be "re-engaging with the electorate " As you can see,from now on "Life can only get better "
And thanks for not wearing a poppy at PM QT`s
- Citizen Id.No7856, EU province TSR2.....(Formally known as the sovereign state of UK.)
Jack
If your policies are so successful why are the BNP growing in support?
You have had a weak immigration policy and denied people a vote or a debate on it with your smears of racism. I agree with the poster above a lot of the trouble is between separate ethnic groups like Africans and West Indians. But at best all you can think of is white versus black. Has anyone ever been so out of touch?
- Francesca Jones, South London
The Labour Party are deluded liars who have changed Britain permanently for the worse. Politicians only look into the future as far as the next general election, but the fact is that in a few generations time, indigenous British people will be a minority in their own country. We are sick of being discriminated against in favour of anyone who is not white. We are sick of the crime. We are sick that we now have to work another year before we receive the pension we are entitled to because of Labours deluded policies and lies. And the Tory Party say they will get tough but their policies only tinker around the edges of the catastrophe which is to come. Come and live in Peckham Straw and send your kids to the local school where they will be bullied and despised for being British and then tell us all how we should celebrate this.
- Margaret Wilson, Peckham, Nigeria
Jack Straw, you are the last straw, I would never believe a word you say again! You are in denial = resign.
- Stephanie, Cornwall,UK
Where are the Afghan hijackers that you promised on-camera
to return to Afghanistan to stand trial, Mr Straw? Oh,
I remember now - the're still here!!
Lying, deceitful, buffoon.
- Lb, Bromley
Mr Straw,
You are so far out of touch with reality it is laughable!! Not even in Your wildest dreams can you imagine the tension that your downright selfish policies have brought upon the proud english people !!
I have witnessed first hand,on many occassions the problems your 'multicultural' society has caused!! Mostly in fighting between different 'ethnic minorities' i hasten to add.. I put it to you sir that you are very niave on this subject.
I suggest you and your family try living for a few years in one of the towns that suffer from your 'brilliant ideas'
I found your appearance on QT to be an absolute disgrace... you cheat the english public which you are supposed to serve!!!
resign now please !!
kind regards
( ex labour voter)
- Rod Mccallum, nottingham...england..i think..
Straw and other NuLabs smeared people as racists to close down the immigration debate. We look at NuLabs now and think 'traitors'!
- Derek, London, UK
Blunkett,blair,and straw should be put in front of a judge charged with treason against the state for the act of deception ie- immigration through the back door.
- M Holloway, tidworth wiltshire
Mr Straw, you and this shambles of a Government are either "incompetent" or Liars, which ever, you should be thrown out of office and an Election called immediately.
- Ducksy, newcastle upon tyne england
So far: 21 comments, 21 racists.
- Paul Miller, London
the vast , vast majority of people here were not consulted as to whether or not they wanted to go
"all multi-cultural" , and the ones that thought that they would give it a go , i think they want their money back !
- Clive, london
'Immigration brings, and has brought, enormous benefits to the UK. Our history has been built on it, and the diversity it has brought to our lives is to be celebrated.'
Another disengenous statement from you. Does that ALSO include all the murders, rapes, assaults and robberies that have taken place here, especially from ILlegal immigrants? Is that an enormous benefit to the victims, Straw? Is this the diversity you claim brings benefits, or shouldn't you rather be using the word 'perversity'?
Also, you should differentiate between those immigrants who apply for permission to work here BEFORE arriving in this country; those LIARS who claim asylum here when in reality they are here to work, having passed through how many European countries, like France; and finally all those ILlegal immigrants, especially those smuggled in by criminal gangs, and which the 'unfit for purpose' - STILL - Home Office is too incompetent or downright criminally negligent to rectify.
As you stated: 'I've seen the pace of change in my own Blackburn constituency'. Would you care to be honest and report back in this newspaper, how many asylum applicants YOU and YOUR constituency office have helped since 1997?
- Ralph, London
I don't want to celebrate diversity because it is killing my country. I don't want my government to socially engineer immigration so that they can make the Tories look bad. I don't want my government wasting billions of pounds forcing public bodies and private companies to to employ diversity teams to control the population through the use of political correctness. I am utterly sick of this rubbish and so are many other people from all walks of life. Immigrants are welcome within carefully controlled limits, they must be legal, speak English, comply with our laws and not abuse the system. If they cannot agree to this then please clear off.
- Shrimpy, Crawley Sussex
I suppose Mr Straw thinks it is fine to lie since he will be out of office next year and probably get a nice job in Europe so he does not starve in his twilight years.It is only the English people who have to put up with the consequences of his party's actions and that has never mattered to these one world marxists.
How have they managed to get away with this for so long?
A tame media and the control of the population through political correctness are only part of the answer.Perhaps we have lived with democracy (though it has many faults)for so long that we can not conceive of a government having so much contempt for the people who put it in office (including me!).
From an ex-londoner and not working class!
- Garibaldi, suffolk uk
The state system has been engineered to treat people the same, regardless of race or religion.
However, the way it has been engineered it has created another type of grouping it discriminates aginst, the British.
When I say British, I mean people of different race or religion, but not people who have been imported in the last 12 years and given a passport under dubious circumstances.
- John, Herts
The comments made by your readers are absolutely correct. British culture etc has been eroded by this criminal govt.and it is a pity because Great Britain was once a nation respected and admired all over the world.
By the way, when I came to the UK on holiday the last time in central London I hardly heard English spoken. I listen to so many of my countrymen talking that I think I'm in my country!
- Mariza, The Med
Straw just spouts the propagandist lie - "we benefit from immigration". What benefits Mr Straw? You and your mates have caused social incohesion in this country like never before. If this country ever erupts in violence, it will be because of you and your policies.
- David H, London
Mr. Straw, In 1990,the school at the bottom of my road had one or two children in each year group who did not have English as a first language. In 2009, there are thirty five to forty children in each year group without English as a first language. Go figure the consequences of your policy on the education systems in London!
- Mlowe, london
Immigration brings, and has brought, enormous benefits to the UK. Our history has been built on it, and the diversity it has brought to our lives is to be celebrated. ------ shouldnt that read enormous benefits bring immigration to the uk ???how many billions of OUR money is wasted on these foreingers though NHS , dental , schools housing benefits , interpreters and all they do is breed and breed as is their custom for large families , only we are the ones picking up the bill. get the liers out of government why doesn't the army organise a coup and overthrow this shambolic government
- Paulie, uk
Bring out the gallows- treason has been perpetrated on a grand scale against the British people.
- Lupus Lungfish, Stamford , England.
Tony Blair made what I thought was a very strange comment some years ago. He said 'We are a young country'. What did he mean by that? Is this 'young' in respect to a new country that New Labour was to forge by mass immigration, and the denigration of our heritage, culture and identity? I also wonder why Gordon Brown is so keen to lower the age of those who can vote. Is this not where Labour also has much of its support, amongst the young, after years of pumping them with endless progaganda in state schools?
- Tess, Notts
Would anyone with a modicum of intelligence believe a single word of what Straw and his ship of fools have to say?
- Albert Hall, Kettering
One thing that struck me whilst watching QT was how lightweight Mr Griffin appeared to me. Another thing which struck me, and more surprisingly considering his experience, was how shambolic Jack Straw came across compared to a politician so out of his depth. His incoherent mumblings can't have done much to convince voters that this pathetic government is indeed in touch with reality.
- Ben, Berkshire
There are lies, damned lies and NuLabor statistics.
- Jane Roberts, Oxford
More obfuscation by Mr Straw.
'immigration brings, and has brought, enormous benefits to the UK. Our history has been built on it, and the diversity it has brought to our lives is to be celebrated.'
Cods wallop.
What benefits has immigration brought to the UK? I do not have enough 'characters' left to properly express how much immigration has NOT benefited the UK. Some are accurately recorded by the above writers.
Just look and listen in London. It is a city of foreigners. There is no 'English' character or culture left in the city.
Everyone with any sense knows that the only real reason for immigration on such a massive scale is to increase the Labour parties share of the public vote.
The word 'diversity is a joke. Immigrants in the UK live in their own cultural vacuum and they do not mix with the indigenous population (Yes, there is one!!.) Many major towns in this country have huge swathes of immigrants where the 'whites' feel in a minority. Just look at the pictures of London schools as shown on the TV.
Finally, isn't it time that the whole of the country stood up for the right to openly discuss immigration without being (wrongly) branded as racists?
This issue is just as important as 'climate change'.
- Mike, kent
Where I live at least, the combined effects of housing and immigration policies over the last 10 years have been truly disastrous. We have private sale and rental homes at levels almost nobody can afford. No new social housing has been built. And what social housing there is has been given over entirely either to recently arrived immigrants (because they are by definition homeless and often have large families)or single mothers. The system is completely abused, and local people who are trying to fend for themselves are left homeless.
The government is largely responsible for letting this happen.We need to abolish the needs based system,withold all benefits from asylum seekers, build social housing and introduce rent control NOW.
- Brutus, London
I think that most people have, long since, stopped believing anything that Jack Straw says. He's so obviously multi-faceted and Machiavellian. One only had to watch his contribution on Question Time to realize that he's simply a lightweight.
- John, Richmond, UK
What benefits?
Kids that can't speak English in schools? Councils spending our money on translators?
Immigrants that got their driving licences on a cart track?
Disproportionate increase in sex crimes as respect for women is not a value in their home countries?
Complete rubbish.
Resign now!
- Alan., Wimbledon
Few white British people are truly racist and most of us sympathise with the plight of war torn countries and those who have suffered flodds, earthquakes etc. We know that millions of people worldwide need urgent help but their often corrupt usually inept leaders cannot sort this out. So many people think England will feed and house them and provide jobs or money. Genuine asylum seekers should stop over the first border they cross and register there but they are encouraged to move on to our tiny island because those other countries don't want them. Other EU countries do not offer the same benefits therefore the migrants of any status want to come here. But our recession is recovering so slowly, in my opinion there is no real recovery and debt is so high I wonder how we can keep on catering for ever increasing jobless let alone immigrants.
Some areas are predominantly black, some predominantly Asian. We are not allowed to call ourselves English. PC rules have got out of control and there is no surprise that white British people feel out numbered and the new second class citizens. Some idiotic Councils are banning Christmas and no-one can mention God in hospital or school.
The Country's become a madhouse.
Is any political party strong enough to sort it out, I don't think so.
- Ann, Chelmsford, UK.
straw man
you can come on here and write a 500 word essay if you like , and then swann off to your lefty lovelies for a congratulatory pat on the back . we simply do not believe you. if you "haven't really let that many in" , then how come vast swathes of our cities have transformed beyond recognition ?
- Clive, london
The Government's so called policy on immigration has been useless. In London, we live in an overpopulated city. It is uncomfortable & unpleasant. It always amazes me that this silly Government encourages new arrivals whilst a huge number of healthy people receive benfits not to work. The Government has no idea of how many people reside in the country (how many illegals to we really have?) & the repatriation scheme is a joke. I will have the immigartion issue firmly in mind when the General Election comes around!
- G Radford, London
What I think about you, Mr Straw, and what you have done to this country through mass immigration - damage which I think is potentially terminal - is unpublishable.
What Maggie set out to do to the far left in the 1980's pales in comparison to what you set out to do to the ordinary men and women of this country. Damn you and your government Mr Straw.
- Steve Edwards, London
Jack Straw, you looked like a rabbit in the headlights when you were questioned about labours immigration policies. 'Asylum applications, at 25,000 a year' - what does labour record as an asylum application? How many people are here that you don't know about…Ask an asylum seeker who is travelling through Europe why they don’t seek asylum in any of the countries they are travelling through… why? Because we are a soft touch! You can’t claim immigration brings in the best people from around the world when you have no idea who’s coming in and out. Jack Straw should travel on the tube in the mornings to see just how over crowed London is! You claimed that you can’t rule immigration with an iron fist! But of course you can! It’s not racist to control immigration, it’s sensible… We live in a small over crowded country!! It’s a problem that needs to be tacked now!! How you can ever say Labour’s immigration policies are working is a joke… avel through
- Paul B, London
The policy of Labour is simply to import voters from anywhere else - its gerrymandering on a massive scale. I can tell you all now that if immigrants were less likely to vote Labour than they are (3 to 1) this would not be a Labour plocy - in seeking power they care not one jot for the misery and pressure they put on all of us on this Island.
- Christian Ball, London, UK
Really!
Nobody in London, with a pair of eyes, believes you. Approximately one quarter to one-third of London's population has come from overseas in the last decade; approx 2 million people, 550 a day doesn't smack of controlled immigration to me.
We don't live in diverse society but a divisive one because of the massive fraud perpetrated on the British people. There are no benefits to the level of immigration we have seen over the tenure of the Labout Govt. My own area, which was a healthy mix of white/black British is now one-third African immigrant, a fact that your colleague Harriet Harman claims to be proud of! The friction between the the British blacks of West Indian descent and the Africans is greater than anything I have witnessed between whites and blacks.
Finally, I put the same questions to you as the chap did on QT, which nobody answered. "With unemployment so high why do we need any further immigration?"
- Mark, South-East London
There is a huge difference between enacting laws and supplying the resources to implement them. Any body can come up with any type of law, right left and centre, but if the money isn't there to fund them then those laws don't amount to a hill of beans. You know this, Mr. Straw and you pretending otherwise is concealing the facts.
- Gedguy2, London, England
Tonight:
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