andrew63

Interesting.

Andrew

Quote:

Britain plans changes to immigration policy

The Blair Labour Government in Britain says it will introduce an immigration points test similar to that used in Australia to decide who can migrate to the UK.

Later today the Blair Government will reveal the details of its new policy.

Like the Australian system, the British test will assign points for various attributes and Home Secretary Charles Clarke says the new system will look at the skills, talents and abilities of people seeking to live and work in Britain.

"It's a response to concerns within government that high unfocused immigration is a drain on services and a strain on community relations," he said.

Immigration is shaping up as a major battleground in this year's election.

The Conservative Party has already announced it would limit the numbers coming into Britain by introducing immigration quotas and offshore processing of asylum seekers, both features of the Australian system.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/02/07/nmig07.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/02/07/ixnewstop.html

jayr

Wonder how many current UK residents (and I mean all of them) would pass the test that they intend to impose on foreigners?

renth

Talk about slamming the stable door after the horse has bolted.

I'll believe it when I see it. I would have though Brussels will have something to say about this, maybe they'll reckon it breaches people's human rights, or is "racist" or something.

JAJ

I don't think the British people are very interested in what 'Brussels' has to say at this stage.


Jeremy

renth

It doesn't matter whether they are intertested or not, if Neil Kinnock tells them to jump they'll say "how high, sir?"

JAJ

It is difficult to see how the UK can begin to address its economic and social problems without a fundamental change in its relationship with Europe.

The Spanish government has just announced an 'amnesty' for about a million illegal immigrants, add to that the numbers of family members who will be allowed to join them, and the fact that after a few years they will likely have Spanish citizenship and Spanish passports (and the right to go anywhere they like in Europe) - which underlines the need for Britain to take back control over its own borders.


Jeremy

renth

It sure does, I just hope they can manage it without interference from the EU.

anya4oz

Sadly, the Blair government has already irrevocably signed away the UK's rights to set any kind of quota or limit on the numbers of asylum seekers coming into the country. This little gem (oops sorry, Badge, apols for the lettuce reference there ) came to light only a week or 2 ago, when Michael Howard, leader of the UK opposition, outlined the Conservatives' planned new policies on immigration controls. The EU told him that it would block any attempt to limit numbers, as the UK had already signed this right away. I gather this caused considerable shock, on both sides of The House, when it sunk in.....

The 1951 UN Convention prevents Britain from taking immediate action to deport any asylum seekers whose claims are not genuine. Blair had the chance to stand firm and opt out of this convention, but chose not to. Instead he quietly signed further EU directives that establish a binding EU definition of who is a refugee: and of course it is a vague and highly subjective definition, that is open to exploitation and argument, no doubt for centuries to come. All power on this issue has been effectively passed to Brussels, and it becomes law in Sept 2005, regardless of who wins the 2005 UK General Election.

By the way, I must make it clear that, as the daughter of (genuine) asylum seekers, I feel strongly that those fleeing for their lives from oppressive regimes must be helped and supported, not counted. What must be controlled, however, are those huge numbers of would-be 'economic migrants' fraudulently claiming to be 'asylum seekers' & hoping for generous free hand-outs.

Anya.

PS: this is why, I expect, the article the OP quoted tells us that: "But he [Blair] rejected the Tories' call for a quota, saying economic migrant numbers should reflect the UK's needs."

JAJ

With respect even if Blair has signed this there's nothing 'irrevocable' about it - a different government could tear up such an agreement and there would be nothing the EU or anyone else could do about it.

It's wouldn't be like 1956 Hungary or 1968 Czechoslovakia - not just yet, anyway.


Jeremy

anya4oz

I like your spirit, Jeremy!

Yes, I would hope that too. However, my understanding (from a friend who worked at the EU in Brussels for a # of years) is that it would be very difficult for the UK to renegotiate without actually leaving the EU, and that in itself might not be easy either.

And of course, if it happened, it would isolate the UK & probably push it further towards the waiting arms of President Bush....

The phrase 'rock & hard place' springs to mind....

Anya.

ABCDiamond

I'm not sure about that, unless Britain pulls out of the EU. I think there have been a few legal cases were British law has been overruled by EU law.

sloake

Sorry

but I find it a bit rich for people on a emigration site to start complaining about migrants..

Most migrants to the UK want to work, but arent allowed to, and then this is when you get the state handouts during assessment.

I think the Aussie system of points is a very valuable idea, as is the fact you can not claim any benefits for the first 2 years.

There is nothing stopping this idea being implemented in Europe or even the UK (The benefit part that is)

I come from Jersey and moved to London as an Economic Migrant in so far as the fact I wanted a better job and prospects than I had in Jersey. I worked hard and paid my taxes (a lot of taxes ), and never once took any benefits (even had private health care so didnt have to take from the NHS)

It was only due to the special relationship Jersey has with the UK that I was allowed to do this, and very grateful I am too. However, it used to seriously annoy me when I would be down the pub listening to all the rubbish about economic migrants flooding into the UK to steal our benefits / jobs / women etc.. when I told them I was an economic migrant, I was always told, yeah but your different you aint from Eastern Europe..Racist is a word which springs to mind.

I am not saying people here are racist, but it does annoy me what the UK has turned into. Its especially rich when you consider that Michael Howards parents were asylum seekers.. Personally I blame the Daily Mail...

anya4oz

You are quite right - I'm always struck by the irony when people on BE say they 'want to go & live in Oz because the UK is getting filled up with asylum seekers.' Eh???

However the UK system so far has let *everyone* down:

* those fleeing for their lives are often branded 'scroungers' & their cases take an eternity to review

* those who genuinely want to move to the Uk, set up home, use their skills to work & contribute to society (as well as bringing some of their own culture to enrich the UK's) are prevented from doing so by the lack of a proper system to help this to take place.

* those who simply fancy an easy living off the UK's benefits system are all too able to slip thru the net and do so.

* the more desperate would-be immigrants are often exploited by gangmasters etc who virutally hold them prisoner, forcing them to do dangerous jobs & work long hours for a pittance. The same people have often been conned into parting with their life savings to be smuggled into the UK.

There's something very wrong with a system that lets *all* categories of people down so badly & allows blatant human rights abuses, to boot.

Before our governments are arrogant enough to go 'install democracy' in countries like Iraq, shouldn't they sort out their own houses first......?

Anya.

sloake

Anya

I totally agree,

There should be some sort of limit on claiming benefits, maybe letting asyulm seekers work would be a start.

I dont think people should be allowed to take from the State, until they have put into it.

But this scare tactics used by the Tories and the more right wing media (most of it in the UK) are not pretty and appear to me racist..

anya4oz

In a neat circular reference to Merlot's recent thread, in which we discussed the fact that UK people are not happy to do some of the 'lowly' customer-service type roles, maybe some of the would-be asylum seekers could make a contribution by doing these until their cases have been heard?

Considering how polite most of the eastern European/Third world etc nations seem to be, and how good their standard of English is, too, I think the biggest result would be a huge improvement in standards of customer care.

Let's suggest it to Blair, shall we?

Anya.

PS: When my Dad's family arrived in the UK, penniless and sick, in the 1930s, they took whatever work they could get (even tho my Gran was pregnant) & soon had a sucessful business that created jobs. I'm very proud of them.