Labour adopt another Tory policy

The 4pm news bulletin on BBC Radio Five Live reported Immigration Minister Phil Woolas' suggestion that the number of people coming into Britain needed to be limited given Britain's difficult economic circumstances.  The newsreader went on to say that the Tories said that Labour were copying Tory policy.  It is beyond question that Labour is copying Tory policy.  Damian Green and David Davis were proposing limits on immigration from outside the EU nearly two years ago.  It would have been more accurate if the BBC had simply said: The Conservatives proposed such a limit on immigration two years ago.

PS We won't hold our breath waiting for Labour to implement any limit.

Comments

[michael mcgough]

UKIP were way ahead of the Tories on this.

[Pat Guide]

As an immigrant it sounds to me like the Tories and Labour are moving towards the BNP point of view on immigration.

This is a very interesting development.

So what is the difference between the current immigration policies of the BNP, Labour and the Tories?

As an immigrant it also looks very hypocritical to me. I feel that the immigrants are being used by Labour and the Tories.

[John Moss]

UKIP were way ahead of the Tories on this.

Posted by: michael mcgough | October 18, 2008 at 16:24

I think you will find that the Tories are sooooo far ahead of UKIP on this that UKIP are invisible in the distance behind us.

Why?

Because we have at least a reasonable prospect of being in Government within two years and actually implimenting it, wheras UKIP have absolutely no chance of being in Government, ever.

[David]

Oh joy, yet another hurdle for my girlfriend to over come. Wonderful.

[christina Speight]

They’ve spent 11 years saying they couldn’t do this, but, hell, they’ve got to try and win the next election somehow!

NB I hear that the BNP in Stoke-on-Trent is the second largest party. At the last election the BNP were only a hand full of votes short of electing the Mayor and expect to do so in November. [nb my informant is not clued up on the mechanics of this but the upsurge there is definite)

[IRJMilne]

"what is the difference between the current immigration policies of the BNP, Labour and the Tories?"

The BNP are in favour of an absolute end to immigration, much less (if any) accepted asylum applications, and encouraging immigrants of about 3 or 4 generations back to go back to their countries, or their parents countries.

This is quite some way from having a limit on the rate of immigration into the UK, and measures to ensure that unknown persons cannot enter the country illegaly.

[Iain]

"Labour adopt another Tory policy"

Well I hope the Conservatives are going to make Labour politically pay for their 'U' turn, rather than passively watching as Labour annex their policy areas.

[m wood]

Isn't this another indication that Brown is preparing for a 'snap' General Election before the recession gets too bad? The recent announcement that traders can still use Imperial measures fits this theory.
Before its too late, the Party needs to make people aware that our economic problems are largely of Brown's making, not let him blame it on America.

[Matt Wright]

How about starting a public list of policies and activities that Labour are shamelessly copying or trying to bandwagon at national and local level. They do seem to be desperately nicking things at the moment.

[David Sergeant]

"Well I hope the Conservatives are going to make Labour politically pay for their 'U' turn, rather than passively watching as Labour annex their policy areas."

Posted by: Iain | October 18, 2008 at 17:48

I know it is a culture change but could the Conservatives not sit back passively watching while everyone else gets on with it at the moment.

[Pat Guide]

To IRJ Milne 18 October 2008 17:47

Thank you for your reply.

Although from my immigrant point of view it only looks like there is now only a very small difference bewteen the immigration policies of Labour, the Tories and the BNP.

Gordon Brown has also said 'British jobs for British People' and former Labour minister Margaret Hodge has also said something along the lines of British Homes for British people.

As I said earlier from an immigrants point of view there is now only a very small difference bewteen the immigration policies of Labour, the Tories and the BNP.

It is getting very uncomfortable for immigrants like me now that the two main parties have such similar polices to the BNP.

Who do we vote for at the next election because it looks like a vote for the Lib Dems will be wasted because they are facing a wipe out.

[NuBlab]

But both Nu Lab and Blu Lab seem to think we can control our borders from within the EU. Seems like a rehash of old policies from both parties.
Nothing new here please move on.

[Adrian Butterworth]

Pat Guide,

I assure you it's only becuase for the past 15 years we've had no immigration controls at all that you find the idea of immigration limits rather abnormal. What you have said is rather an indictment of our country - we have been disgracefully misgoverened for so long that an immigrant such as yourself becomes indignant at the idea that we should have proper border controls. Back when we had a rational, normal immigration policy, immigrants like my grandparents could only feel proud, fortunate and grateful to be here. Nowadays, immigrants just feel entitled to be here and think they have a right to complain about it.

I'm sorry but I completely disgusted by what you have said, not so much at you yourself but with Britain

[Pat Guide]

Hi Adrian 19:03

No offence taken. I understand your feelings.

I am just confused because it was only a short time ago that David Cameron was urging the voters to vote for any one but the BNP because of their imigrant policies. I thought the Tories wanted people like me because I willing to work and I am cheaper to hire than other people. I guess us immigrants must have overstayed our welcome.

I would have voted for the Tories at the next election I have even been asked to stand at next years council elections by my local Tory group but I am not sure what to do.

My wife wants to go home.

[Andrew S]

Surely it is a good idea to have an annual limit on the number of immigrants entering the country? This would make it easier to calculate potential population growth and the strain that will place on public services, and where and when improvements would be needed.
It is good that Labour have decided to adopt a plan which the Conservatives have been suggesting, but we must make clear that this is what has been done.

[Shaun Pilkington]

But how? How can they do this when

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7653846.stm

the EU are opening an immigration centre in Africa?

Anyone want to bet on what happens?

[RichardJ]

"As an immigrant it sounds to me like the Tories and Labour are moving towards the BNP point of view on immigration."

They are moving to the public view which is that it needs to be reduced. Public opinion on this matter has been ignored for too long.

[RichardJ]

"My wife wants to go home."

Very funny, go and troll somewhere else, you're more transparent than glass.

[David_at_Home]

"Oh joy, yet another hurdle for my girlfriend to over come. Wonderful."

Please explain why your girlfriend should be given the right to live in the UK? How are we to decide who qualifies to be your girlfriend and how? If, next year, you throw over your girlfriend, should she to be allowed to stay here and, maybe, bring in her new boyfriend too? Are you then to be granted the right to bring a new girlfriend into the UK too?

PS: More than 30 years ago, Mrs_at_Home kindly came from a far off land to be my Wife.

[Alex]

'Pat Guide' -from an immigrants point of view there is now only a very small difference bewteen the immigration policies of Labour, the Tories and the BNP.

It is getting very uncomfortable for immigrants like me now that the two main parties have such similar polices to the BNP. "

"I would have voted for the Tories at the next election I have even been asked to stand at next years council elections by my local Tory group but I am not sure what to do."

mmmm ... you sound really believable - go and troll somewhere else will you, 'Pat'?

[Pat Guide]

To Alex and Richard

You seem to be trying to smear me for my attempts to make a valid point.

I also feel that your suggestions that I should go and troll (whatever troll means) somewhere else have racist overtones.

It is that very point that I was trying to make that even though the main parties Labour, Conservative and the LibDems have so called multi cultural and multi-ethnic policies, a person doesn't have to scratch too far below the surface to discover that Labour, LibDems and the Tories are as bigoted, racist and class ridden as the BNP. It just takes a time of crisis like the current economic one for the pressure to force these hidden personality traits to come to the surface.

The fact remains that the Labour and Conservative policies on immigration are now barely indistinguishable from those of the BNP although in Communist Labour's case they are far worse because they want an ID card scheme, 42 day dention without trial and they are opposed to a referendum on the EU.

Finally I am a genuine poster. I am an immigrant and I have been asked to stand as Conservative councillor.

And if you are wondering, I won't be standing for the Tories or any other party at the next election.

Like many people I have become disgusted with the state of all the political parties in this country. They ask for our vote, they get power and then they ignore us for another 4 or 5 years while they push their own private agendas and get rich at the taxpayers expense.

I don't know what a troll is but it doesn't sound nice but if that is all you have to throw at me for raising a few genuine points on this site then God help us all. Your comments say alot more about you then they do about me.

[rugfish]

You don't have to be bigotted, racist or class ridden just because you happen to disagree with multiculturalism to the point of erasing your own culture or the British way of life, being the reason why immigrants of the first generation came here and themselves became British who now also complain that their own place in British culture is being upturned, maligned, changed, forgotten and eroded in some areas where it has now become non-existent or virtually unrecognisable.

[Alex]

'Pat' -

You won't be standing for the Tories or any other party at the next election as you simply have not been asked. You have no clue about where the major 2 parties stand on the issue of immigration and do not even know what 'racism' means.

If you don't know what an internet / blog troll is; look it up. Now go and troll elsewhere.

[Pat Guide]

To Alex 14:42

I was born in Ireland and I have lived in this country for over 25 years so I have more than a good idea of what racism means. I not only know what it means I have suffered it. So please don't insult me any further on this point.

With regard to the your assertion that I have lied about being asked to stand as a Tory councillor I guess all those emails I received and meetings I had with my local Conservative group asking me to stand were figments of my imagination or are they that desperate that they would consider an ignorant troll (as you seem to be calling me) like me.

With regard to the you calling me a troll. Thank you for your advice I looked it up. Is this (see link below) what you had had in mind when you referred to me?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Blog%20Troll

Is that the best you can come up with Alex?

Explain to me and show me the differences in the differences in the Tory, Labour and BNP policies try and beat me with your arguments and if you do I will say all credit to you. But don't give up on the insults it only makes you look pathetic. You aren't pathetic are you Alex?

[Malcolm Dunn]

I suspect Phil Woolas knows that words are cheap and that he's responding to polls which show how unpopular Labour's inept handling of immigration has been. It will be interesting to see if he explains how EXACTLY he will prevent Britains' population exploding past 70 million and how many immigrants he will allow in on an annual basis.
Green has an opportunity here to highlight Labour incompetence and also drive a wedge between charlatans like Woolas who will say anything to get a vote and those more principled and honest Labour backbenchers who really don't believe in any immigration controls at all.
This could be the making of Damian Green or not.

[Iain]

"Green has an opportunity here to highlight Labour incompetence "

That would require a Conservative politician who really wanted Labour to pay a price for their incompetence, and hold them to account for the rape of this country and our culture, that's not Green, Green would most likely applaud Labour accepting and annexing Conservative policy areas, and with Green so wet the only worry Woolas has is whether he will get his shoes wet tramping across Conservative territory.

[Jon]

Administrator - please can you keep an eye on the trolling of the posts on this website?

There has been quite a bit going on over the last couple of weeks.

[Margaret Young]

Regulating The City - at first he was against tighter controls..

Sept 10, 2007 "Government must regulate and tax enterprises less."

Now he thinks it's essential..

Oct 17, 2008 "We need strong, responsible and proper regulation of the financial systems."

Northern Rock: At first he backed nationalistaion..

Sept 17, 2007 "What we've said very clearly is we fully support what the Bank of England has done to protect Northern Rock."

Then he was against it..

Jan 18 2008 "We don't think nationalisation is the right answer,"

..and now he's back in favour of it..

October 17, 2008 "We did support the action taken to re-capitalise banks."

Consistency by 'Call me Dave'...don't you just love it!