Tonight:
5°c
Carey in plea over immigration
7 Jan 2010- Rangers FC appoints administrator
- Inflation plunges to 14-month low
- Solo Kate in Valentine's city visit
- Qatada deportation talks continue
- Perjury file over Lawrence trial
- Care probe hospital suspends staff
- £500,000 seized from canoeist wife
- Whitney funeral at childhood church
- Most hate crimes feature racism
- Bangkok bomber injured in own blast
New immigrants coming to Britain should have an understanding of the country's Christian heritage, a former Archbishop of Canterbury has said.
Lord Carey is among 19 MPs and peers backing a call for all the major parties to make a commitment in their general election manifestos not to allow the UK's population to reach 70 million.
In an interview with the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, he stressed he was not calling for a ban on non-Christian immigrants settling in Britain.
But he warned that if concerns about the level and nature of immigration were not addressed, it simply would play into the hands of the far-right British National Party.
"What I think we must call for is an understanding on the part of those who come into our country that they are coming into one which values parliamentary democracy, which is built upon our Christian heritage," he said.
"They have got to understand our commitment to the English language and espouse it, and they must understand our history."
Lord Carey said that the parliamentary Cross-Party Group on Balanced Migration was not arguing for an outright ban on new immigration but believed that there needed to be a "reasonable limit" on the numbers coming into the country.
He said that the BNP was already making political capital out of the "sense of unfairness" that many people felt over the issue.
"If we don't do something about this, we play immediately into the hands of the BNP. That is very clear indeed," he said.
"They are working and exploiting frustration, a sense of alienation on the part of white working class people who are saying 'our jobs are being taken by people from abroad'."
Reader views (9)
The population is well over 70 million already, just not officially. And the Govt. no doubt know this too.
- Squiz, Islington, 06/01/2010 19:02
Report abuse
Why doesn't Carey just say what he wants to say that he would prefer at the very least Christians only to be admitted into our country for all our sakes rather than flowering his langauge with woffle and indirect statements leaving much room for interpretation. Time to put the cards down on the table.
- Gary, London, 06/01/2010 18:21
Report abuse
Far too little, much to late, but at least it's a start. The country has already lost most of its cohesion, and is probably damaged beyond hope of retrieval, but at least our grandchildren might have some idea what was lost, what this generation of politicians threw away, if the flood can be slowed down.
- Tiresius, London, 06/01/2010 08:18
Report abuse
...And so we`re back to the number one issue - reform of the over generous badly skewed EU PC biased anti-worker pro too many children benefits and taxation system.
Perhaps, after the election a National strike by all the providers of these benefits - WORKING taxpayers - would help them stand up and take notice?
- Darius, London, 06/01/2010 08:10
Report abuse
Sounds like we are trying to shut the door after the horse has bolted! Always full of excuses about border controls, just shut them and stop obeying every piece of legislation from the European courts.
- Gilbert, Canterbury, 06/01/2010 07:15
Report abuse
A voice recognising that unrestricted population growth will cause problems. The case is however understated, for increasing numbers will not only lead to social problems, but also to food, fuel and other supply problems. As the gas for heating and fuel for food distribution becomes scarcer, how will we be able to support 70 million?
We need to apply the brake on our reproduction as well as on immigration. Soon!
- Naomi, Manchester, 06/01/2010 07:08
Report abuse
The declaration warned that the current scale of immigration is "unprecedented" and said that failure to stem it "would be seriously damaging to the future harmony of our society".
The "future"? You mean it hasn't happened yet?
- Rogan, Irving, 06/01/2010 05:20
Report abuse
Kick Labour Out! How dare they have destroyed our country like this? Stand up for England!
- Did Our Ancestors Really Give Their Lives And Fight For This Government To Destroy Britain?, London, England, 06/01/2010 05:01
Report abuse
I'm afraid there is one phrase in this article that shows it will never happen '"The first requirement is a clear political decision".
Don't expect any action on our borders whilst Labour import voters by the million.
- Roger, Devon, 06/01/2010 03:07
Report abuse
