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| PM to 'tighten' migration rules | PM to 'tighten' migration rules |
| (about 21 hours later) | |
| Gordon Brown has promised to "tighten" the UK's immigration rules by reducing the number of professions that can recruit from outside Europe. | |
| The prime minister said net migration was already being cut and that these changes would ensure this continues while maintaining "flexibility". | The prime minister said net migration was already being cut and that these changes would ensure this continues while maintaining "flexibility". |
| He also promised to make it harder for illegal workers to enter the UK by obtaining student visas. | He also promised to make it harder for illegal workers to enter the UK by obtaining student visas. |
| But the Conservatives dismissed Mr Brown's proposals as "hollow". | But the Conservatives dismissed Mr Brown's proposals as "hollow". |
| The prime minister's speech, in west London, came amid criticism that immigration policy is ineffective and predictions that the UK's population is set to reach 70 million. | The prime minister's speech, in west London, came amid criticism that immigration policy is ineffective and predictions that the UK's population is set to reach 70 million. |
| Home Secretary Alan Johnson recently admitted that the government had taken "a long time" to deal properly with the issue. | Home Secretary Alan Johnson recently admitted that the government had taken "a long time" to deal properly with the issue. |
| 'Lazy elitism' | 'Lazy elitism' |
| Mr Brown defended the government's points-based system for deciding which migrants from outside the European Economic Area - made up of the EU states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - and Switzerland should be accepted. | Mr Brown defended the government's points-based system for deciding which migrants from outside the European Economic Area - made up of the EU states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - and Switzerland should be accepted. |
| He argued that it had contributed to a 44% fall in inward migration over the past year. | He argued that it had contributed to a 44% fall in inward migration over the past year. |
| Mr Brown said the importance of "shortage" professions would be looked at in the near future. | Mr Brown said the importance of "shortage" professions would be looked at in the near future. |
| People want to be assured that newcomers will accept the responsibilities as well as the rights that come with living here Gordon Brown | People want to be assured that newcomers will accept the responsibilities as well as the rights that come with living here Gordon Brown |
| "We will remove more occupations and therefore thousands more posts from the list of those eligible for entry under the points-based system," he said. | "We will remove more occupations and therefore thousands more posts from the list of those eligible for entry under the points-based system," he said. |
| Engineers, skilled chefs and care workers could be among the professions affected. | Engineers, skilled chefs and care workers could be among the professions affected. |
| Mr Brown announced a review of student visas, which will consider whether they should be granted only to foreign students on degree and postgraduate courses. | Mr Brown announced a review of student visas, which will consider whether they should be granted only to foreign students on degree and postgraduate courses. |
| Visas would be stopped for those seeking to take shorter courses leading to lower-level qualifications, to clamp down on people using these as an excuse to enter the UK before disappearing into illegal work. | Visas would be stopped for those seeking to take shorter courses leading to lower-level qualifications, to clamp down on people using these as an excuse to enter the UK before disappearing into illegal work. |
| Addressing the wider immigration debate, Mr Brown added: "I have never agreed with the lazy elitism that dismisses immigration as an issue, or portrays anyone who has concerns about immigration as a racist. Immigration is not an issue for fringe parties nor a taboo subject. | Addressing the wider immigration debate, Mr Brown added: "I have never agreed with the lazy elitism that dismisses immigration as an issue, or portrays anyone who has concerns about immigration as a racist. Immigration is not an issue for fringe parties nor a taboo subject. |
| "It is a question at the heart of our politics, a question about what it means to be British; about the values we hold dear and the responsibilities we expect of those coming into our country; about how we secure the skills we need to compete in the global economy; about how we preserve and strengthen our communities." | "It is a question at the heart of our politics, a question about what it means to be British; about the values we hold dear and the responsibilities we expect of those coming into our country; about how we secure the skills we need to compete in the global economy; about how we preserve and strengthen our communities." |
| 70 million | 70 million |
| He said: "If the main effect of immigration on your life is to make it easier to find a plumber, or when you see doctors and nurses from overseas in your local hospital, you are likely to think more about the benefits of migration than the possible costs. | He said: "If the main effect of immigration on your life is to make it easier to find a plumber, or when you see doctors and nurses from overseas in your local hospital, you are likely to think more about the benefits of migration than the possible costs. |
| "But people want to be assured that newcomers will accept the responsibilities as well as the rights that come with living here - obeying the law, speaking English, and making a contribution." | "But people want to be assured that newcomers will accept the responsibilities as well as the rights that come with living here - obeying the law, speaking English, and making a contribution." |
| HAVE YOUR SAYReducing immigrant workers alone isn't going to solve the employment situationDave Derrick, Somerset Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYReducing immigrant workers alone isn't going to solve the employment situationDave Derrick, Somerset Send us your comments |
| The UK was a "something-for-something, nothing-for-nothing" society, Mr Brown said, urging immigrants to live up to their responsibilities. | The UK was a "something-for-something, nothing-for-nothing" society, Mr Brown said, urging immigrants to live up to their responsibilities. |
| He advocated a "tough but fair approach" to immigration, maintaining the "flexibility" needed by employers. | He advocated a "tough but fair approach" to immigration, maintaining the "flexibility" needed by employers. |
| More needed to be done to ensure that people already living in the UK with low skills and poor job prospects were helped into work. | More needed to be done to ensure that people already living in the UK with low skills and poor job prospects were helped into work. |
| In an interview with the Daily Mail, Mr Brown said he did not believe Britain's population would reach 70 million, as some projections suggest. | In an interview with the Daily Mail, Mr Brown said he did not believe Britain's population would reach 70 million, as some projections suggest. |
| 'Catastrophic' | 'Catastrophic' |
| For the Conservatives, shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said: "Gordon Brown's speech had a completely hollow ring to it. | For the Conservatives, shadow home secretary Chris Grayling said: "Gordon Brown's speech had a completely hollow ring to it. |
| "This is the government that tried to cover up a deliberate policy of increasing immigration and the prime minister's comments show that he has no idea about how to deal with the whole question of immigration now." | "This is the government that tried to cover up a deliberate policy of increasing immigration and the prime minister's comments show that he has no idea about how to deal with the whole question of immigration now." |
| Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: "Gordon Brown is attempting to shut the stable door long after the horse has bolted. | Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said: "Gordon Brown is attempting to shut the stable door long after the horse has bolted. |
| "His government's catastrophic mismanagement of the system has undermined this country's liberal attitude towards immigration." | "His government's catastrophic mismanagement of the system has undermined this country's liberal attitude towards immigration." |
| Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the Migrationwatch campaign group, said the prime minister's measures were "trivial" and that Mr Brown was "in deep denial" on the issue of immigration. | Sir Andrew Green, chairman of the Migrationwatch campaign group, said the prime minister's measures were "trivial" and that Mr Brown was "in deep denial" on the issue of immigration. |
| The co-chairmen of Parliament's cross-party group for balanced migration, Labour MP Frank Field and Conservative MP Nicholas Soames, said: "While the government is right to split economic migration from permanent settlement, it is clear that the prime minister misses the big picture. | The co-chairmen of Parliament's cross-party group for balanced migration, Labour MP Frank Field and Conservative MP Nicholas Soames, said: "While the government is right to split economic migration from permanent settlement, it is clear that the prime minister misses the big picture. |
| "The points-based system has no limit, affects just 20% of immigration and will not stop the UK's population hitting 70 million in 2029." | "The points-based system has no limit, affects just 20% of immigration and will not stop the UK's population hitting 70 million in 2029." |