Kris Hopkins is Member of Parliament for Keighley & Ilkley.
Debating immigration is not racist, is quite proper in a mature democracy and should be encouraged if a void is not to be left vacant for fascist groups to exploit.
I have made these points throughout my time in politics, including four years as Leader of Bradford Council, and they have not always been met with universal approval. But I was nonetheless keen to repeat them during Tuesday’s Commons debate on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Ours is a generous country, which rightly offers the hand of friendship and help to people wherever they may come from. That has been demonstrated over many generations by our commitment to international development, and also by our record on granting asylum to those who genuinely deserve it.
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