I have been listening to the debates from both MPs & Anti-fascist campaigners for a long time and i have come to the conclusion that we all should have a proper debate on this subject as we have to face up to that fact that immirgation may or may not have a impact in this country.
Anti-fascist campaigners and MPs have condemned government plans for a new points-based immigration system that could see people denied British citizenship if they get involved in "unpatriotic activities."
Anti-fascist campaigners and MPs have condemned government plans for a new points-based immigration system that could see people denied British citizenship if they get involved in "unpatriotic activities."
In one of the most controversial consultation briefs to date, Home Secretary Alan Johnson unveiled the new points-based system for acquiring British nationality which will take into account applicants' record of behaviour in addition to their labour skills and qualifications.
The government will today launch proposals for a new points system for immigrants seeking British citizenship, as it tries to deflect accusations that it has lost control of the country's borders.
The home secretary, Alan Johnson, will launch the consultation paper, which proposes that those wanting a passport could earn points for speaking English and doing community work, and lose points for anti-social behaviour, such as protesting against British troops.
The eve of the launch was marred when the Home Office was forced to confirm that a suspected illegal immigrant had smuggled himself into Britain under a coach carrying officials from the UK Border Agency who were returning from working in France. An inquiry has been launched, but officials say the vehicle's driver will not be fined because he carried out sufficient checks before setting off through the Channel tunnel .
The suspected illegal immigrant hid in a space next to the fuel tank and took flight once the coach reached Britain. The driver tried to catch him, but was unsuccessful.
A Home Office spokesman said: "An illegal entrant entered Dover by hiding underneath a coach returning from Coquelles, in France. The coach was contracted by the UK Border Agency.
"A full investigation is being conducted. This is further evidence of the extreme and dangerous illegal measures that are being taken to enter the UK."
Under the new proposals, immigrants will have to wait ten years before being granted a UK passport, compared to five years under the current system.
In an article in today's News of the World, Johnson wrote: "Already we require people earn the right to become citizens by paying taxes, speaking English and obeying the law ... I will go even further, unveiling my new citizenship proposals which will require people earn points for, among other things, their skills, their job and their qualifications.
"Bad behaviour will be penalised, and only those with enough points will earn the right to a British passport. No longer will there be an automatic link between temporary work and becoming a permanent UK citizen."
The home secretary predicted a short-term fall in migrant numbers from outside Europe due to the government's clampdown and because the recession makes Britain a less attractive place to live.
Migrants from outside the EU are already subject to a points-based system, introduced last year, which allows entry into the UK only if they have skills needed by the British economy.
A Home Office spokesperson said: "The points-based system has already proved to be a powerful tool for controlling migration for the benefit of both British people and the economy. We have already announced our intention to consult on applying these principles to the path to citizenship."
The Tory immigration spokesman, Damian Green, accused the government of "spin": "There never has been an automatic right to British citizenship. It is simply that this government has let an unprecedented number of people obtain citizenship, issuing someone with a British passport every five minutes. This is an act of desperation by a Government that ... has let immigration run out of control."
