Should immigrants be obliged to speak English?

An interview for the Politics Home Central Lobby with Communities Secretary Eric Pickles sparked interest for the following exchange:

 How will this affect councils that produce information leaflets in a range of different languages?

By and large anyone with any experience of this will tell you it is largely a waste of time. The general experience that we had was that I have got no problem with signposting, that is right, but in terms of wanting people, encouraging people, to be part of British society, they can't do that unless they have more than an understanding of English. If we don't get our resident population with an understanding of English then they become a sub-class that is virtually unemployable or are stuck in a ghetto. We should not be turning people out of our schools who aren't able to speak English like a native.

I think this is spot on and those who think they are being kind and sensitive by ignoring the problem are profoundly mistaken. I think that very many of those who are non-English speakers in this country would welcome the chance to learn and recognise it would transform their prospects. Those who can't afford the classes should have them offered for free.

Tory councillors' immigration leaflet is disowned by local MP

Andrew Rosindell MP has disowned a leaflet on immigration that has been distributed by Tory councillors within his Romford constituency.

The leaflet, notes The Observer, "suggests that the Tories would impose new transitional controls on the right of nationals of the new EU member states to work in the UK." The newspaper continues: "Such controls already exist for Bulgaria and Romania, but retrospective limits on other eastern European states, such as Poland and the Czech Republic, would be illegal under EU law."

Mr Rosindell issued a statement disowning the leaflet:

"I did not write or approve this councillors' flyer. Immigration is an important issue but, as David Cameron has made clear, we must be careful with both the facts and the language we use. This flyer falls short on both counts, and I shall be pointing that out to the councillors."

Download PDFs of the front and back of the leaflet.

A ConservativeHome survey of over two thousand Tory members found 84% wanting immigration to be a top Tory pledge.

Tim Montgomerie

Councils say immigration higher than official figures show

Council leaders in three councils have raised the issue of immigration. They warn it has resulted in their populations being much higher than the official figures show. This puts public services under "enormous strain" as the central Government grant is lower than it should be. Ministerial claims that immigration levels had peaked did not reflect the reality. Their complacency also disregards the increase in applications for work permits.

Significantly the three councils speaking out include Labour-run Slough - as well as Conservative-run Peterborough; and Boston which is run by Independents.

The Office for National Statistics says it is trying to provide better data and the census next year made provide greater accuracy. But Richard Harbord, the Chief Executive of Boston Council says the temporary status of many migrant workers makes the census unreliable. “Plus they are naturally very suspicious
of people turning up with official forms,” he adds.

Slough Council says it needs places for the equivalent of four primary schools. "There is massive concern," says their Chief Executive Ruth Bagley.

This problem has been going on for some time. The Labour Mayor of Newham has also attacked the Government over it.

The great advantages brought to the economy by immigrants from eastern Europe are widely accepted. The problem is that strain on services has not been recogniosed by the Government and falls unevenly on some councils - including my own.

A spokesman for the DCLG tells the FT:

“We know some local authorities have sometimes found it difficult to cope with sudden and unexpected inflows of migrants.”

....and done diddly squat about it.