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Immigration: facts not fictions Immigration: facts not fictions
(6 months later)
Parliament goes into its Easter recess on Tuesday at the end of a session that has been increasingly dominated by immigration. On Monday, immigration commanded the Whitehall grid, with a widely trailed speech by David Cameron and a BBC radio interview with the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, which caused confusion about the prime minister's figures. Meanwhile in the Commons both the home and health secretaries made immigration pledges to MPs. There was no mistaking that this was a concerted effort by senior Conservative ministers to bring the curtain down on the session to the sound of a strong immigration-themed finale.Parliament goes into its Easter recess on Tuesday at the end of a session that has been increasingly dominated by immigration. On Monday, immigration commanded the Whitehall grid, with a widely trailed speech by David Cameron and a BBC radio interview with the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, which caused confusion about the prime minister's figures. Meanwhile in the Commons both the home and health secretaries made immigration pledges to MPs. There was no mistaking that this was a concerted effort by senior Conservative ministers to bring the curtain down on the session to the sound of a strong immigration-themed finale.
Much of this is simply explained by the result of the Eastleigh byelection, which has scared the Tory party to action. But the rise of Ukip in the polls, so evident at and after Eastleigh, is not the sole reason politicians of all parties are competing in what begins to sound dangerously like a bidding war over immigration. The immediate cause is the lifting of transitional restrictions on EU migrants from Bulgaria and Romania that will come into effect in December. But the underlying cause is the continuing flatlining of the economy and the coalition's real-terms cuts to welfare and health spending, from which Labour would be unlikely to diverge in dramatic ways. With belts tightened, and less money to go round, fears about migrants getting an unfair slice of the diminishing cake are not hard to stir. Politicians cannot be expected to ignore them – but they should not lightly add to them either.Much of this is simply explained by the result of the Eastleigh byelection, which has scared the Tory party to action. But the rise of Ukip in the polls, so evident at and after Eastleigh, is not the sole reason politicians of all parties are competing in what begins to sound dangerously like a bidding war over immigration. The immediate cause is the lifting of transitional restrictions on EU migrants from Bulgaria and Romania that will come into effect in December. But the underlying cause is the continuing flatlining of the economy and the coalition's real-terms cuts to welfare and health spending, from which Labour would be unlikely to diverge in dramatic ways. With belts tightened, and less money to go round, fears about migrants getting an unfair slice of the diminishing cake are not hard to stir. Politicians cannot be expected to ignore them – but they should not lightly add to them either.
Politicians of all main parties should conduct a properly informed and balanced debate. This means admitting to past failures, such as Labour's insouciant underestimate of the numbers of EU migrants from eastern Europe after 2004. It also means attempting to resolve current confusions, such as the aspects of the tightening of student visas that are threatening to do real financial and reputational damage to UK universities. But there was too little  evidence of that on Monday.Politicians of all main parties should conduct a properly informed and balanced debate. This means admitting to past failures, such as Labour's insouciant underestimate of the numbers of EU migrants from eastern Europe after 2004. It also means attempting to resolve current confusions, such as the aspects of the tightening of student visas that are threatening to do real financial and reputational damage to UK universities. But there was too little  evidence of that on Monday.
In particular, mainstream politicians need to articulate the positive cultural and economic benefits of migration and not simply demonise either migrants or their impact. The overwhelming proportion of migrants come to this country to work, create wealth and pay taxes, not to live off benefits to which they are not automatically entitled or seek treatment on the NHS on which, as predominantly young people, they do not greatly depend. Getting the balance right between the opportunities and the problems is not easy, and is made worse by sections of the press that habitually exaggerate the uniqueness of the alternatives facing the UK – but it is not impossible.In particular, mainstream politicians need to articulate the positive cultural and economic benefits of migration and not simply demonise either migrants or their impact. The overwhelming proportion of migrants come to this country to work, create wealth and pay taxes, not to live off benefits to which they are not automatically entitled or seek treatment on the NHS on which, as predominantly young people, they do not greatly depend. Getting the balance right between the opportunities and the problems is not easy, and is made worse by sections of the press that habitually exaggerate the uniqueness of the alternatives facing the UK – but it is not impossible.
David Cameron's speech got some of the balance right – as Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband also did in speeches on immigration in recent months. But all three of the prime minister's main points – tightening benefit eligibility, stopping "health tourism" and cracking down on illegal working – are easier to state in general terms than to solve fairly or in detail, and none is a new problem. For example, if Britain is to impose Europe's toughest rules on access to benefits by migrants, as Mr Cameron promised, we will have to reintroduce something like the ID card system that he came to power pledged to scrap and whose technical problems have not gone away. Mr Cameron skated over such details, as he so often does, reinforcing the impression that he is much better at saying than doing.David Cameron's speech got some of the balance right – as Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband also did in speeches on immigration in recent months. But all three of the prime minister's main points – tightening benefit eligibility, stopping "health tourism" and cracking down on illegal working – are easier to state in general terms than to solve fairly or in detail, and none is a new problem. For example, if Britain is to impose Europe's toughest rules on access to benefits by migrants, as Mr Cameron promised, we will have to reintroduce something like the ID card system that he came to power pledged to scrap and whose technical problems have not gone away. Mr Cameron skated over such details, as he so often does, reinforcing the impression that he is much better at saying than doing.
Like all modern nations, this country needs a conversation about immigration. The fact that our political parties are starting to have one is good. But the conversation will only be virtuous if it is solidly based in facts, laws and principles, and if it is conducted with honesty about the effects of past and proposed courses of action. Neither of these conditions is currently being satisfied. The best way to deal with migration, like the best way to tackle the economic crisis, is much harder to agree on and to implement than too many politicians – and opinion formers – still like to pretend.Like all modern nations, this country needs a conversation about immigration. The fact that our political parties are starting to have one is good. But the conversation will only be virtuous if it is solidly based in facts, laws and principles, and if it is conducted with honesty about the effects of past and proposed courses of action. Neither of these conditions is currently being satisfied. The best way to deal with migration, like the best way to tackle the economic crisis, is much harder to agree on and to implement than too many politicians – and opinion formers – still like to pretend.
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