Immigration Initiatives 'Pointless', Says Ukip

Anthony Butcher · 07-02-2005, 01:35 PM

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4101269

Quote:

Neither Labour nor the Tories could implement their policies on immigration and asylum because their hands are tied by the European Union, the UK Independence Party claimed today.

Launching an election poster under the slogan “We Want Our Country Back”, the eurosceptic party’s leader Roger Knapman accused both major parties of copying UKIP policies.

But he said their initiatives were “pointless”, as asylum and immigration policy was now decided by qualified majority voting in Brussels.

UKIP would pull out of the EU’s common asylum policy and repatriate powers for Britain to control its own borders, in order to reduce net immigration to the UK to zero, he said.

Mr Knapman was speaking as he received a cheque for £400,000 from donor Alan Bown – the largest in a series of donations from the Kent businessman which now total £1 million.

Today’s poster featured a giant wearing an EU tie crumpling a document entitled UK Immigration Policy in its hands as the bound and chained Tony Blair, Michael Howard and Charles Kennedy look on in horror.

He said: “Both Labour and the Tories supported the expansion of the European Union, which gave 70 million Eastern Europeans the right to live and work in the UK without restriction, and both want to extend that further by extending that right to 80 million Turkish citizens. There are no restrictions on the numbers of EU citizens who can live and work in Britain.

“We accept that immigration is necessary, and that Britain has a long tradition of accepting genuine refugees, which we would continue.

“What we do not accept is that immigration can continue without limit. The strains which are being placed upon our transport, health, education and housing resources if currently unacceptable, and we must deal with these problems first.

“At the end of the day, Labour and the Tories introducing immigration policies is pointless as asylum and immigration is now decided by qualified majority voting within the European Union.

“Lofty talk of ‘crackdowns’ and ‘tougher policies’ is pointless as (former Home Secretary David) Blunkett has signed away the rights of Westminster to make policy in this area.”

Mr Knapman denied that the poster’s slogan might be offensive to ethnic minorities.

“’We want our country back’ means we want the ability to govern ourselves,” he said. “Our party has a huge number of people from the ethnic minorities and they are as keen on our tough immigration policies and the need for Britain to govern itself as anyone else.”

UKIP would introduce an Australian-style points system for work permits, introduce rigorous checks of those entering and leaving the country and impose stricter controls on immigrants coming to the UK to join other family members, he said.

The party would refuse refugee status to those arriving in the UK via another safe country and would change human rights laws to make deportations of failed asylum-seekers easier and quicker. All those entering Britain with the intention of staying would be subjected to health checks.

Mr Bown’s donation will allow UKIP to step up its campaigning in key target seats in the run-up to the General Election, expected on May 5, said Mr Knapman.

He said the party was still in touch with its former biggest donor, Paul Sykes, who has previously given £1.4 million to the anti-EU party, but did not know whether he intended to give cash in future.

Mr Bown denied that he was throwing his money away on a fringe party which could not have an impact at Westminster.

“I think we will get a small number of MPs and I think we will see some big changes,” he said. “There is an awful lot of euroscepticism out there.”

UKIP MEP Nigel Farage, who is standing as the party’s candidate in Thanet South in the election, said: “We accept we can’t win the election, but if we target our money carefully, we can get a very respectable percentage of the national vote and we believe we can establish a toehold at Westminster.”

Is that our first policy related story in a major newspaper for four months? I think it is.

Gecko · 07-02-2005, 01:57 PM

Quote:

UKIP would pull out of the EU’s common asylum policy

Is it me or is this a rather more diluted message than has been put across before?

I thought UKIP policy was withdrawel from the EU, not just specific policies, in fact didn't we all criticise the Tories for suggesting that they could do that?

mkpdavies · 07-02-2005, 02:06 PM

Quote:

“We accept that immigration is necessary, and that Britain has a long tradition of accepting genuine refugees, which we would continue.

That quote is welcome. It shows we are not the BNP wannabes that some try to paint us.

As for the EU, I think everyone knows where UKIP stand on it. There is no need to scream "out" everytime anymore.

Best press release I have seen yet. Very encouraging!

Bellatrix · 07-02-2005, 03:49 PM

Have you guys read the 'one-stop shop' idea the commission has published? It's sickening.

mkpdavies · 07-02-2005, 04:08 PM

http://www.ukip.org/abc_news/gen12.php?t=1&id=1233

Quote:

The U.K. Independence Party has launched the first of its election campaign posters on the subject of immigration just as the Government prepared to unveil its latest crackdown.

UKIP Leader Roger Knapman MEP said that UKIP was sticking to its policy of stricter embarkation controls, a points system for immigrants and a withdrawal from the EU’s Common Asylum Policy. He said: “Labour and the Conservatives have both cloned UKIP’s policy but neither will be able to implement it because EU legislation means that their hands are tied by the European Commission.

“Both Labour and the Tories supported the expansion of the European Union, which gave 70 million Eastern Europeans the right to live and work in the UK without restriction, and both want to add to this problem by extending that right to 80 million Turkish citizens. There are no restrictions on the numbers of EU citizens who can live and work in Britain.

“We accept that immigration is necessary, and that Britain has a long tradition of accepting genuine refugees, which we would continue. What we do not accept is that immigration can continue without limit. The strains which are being placed upon our transport, health, education and housing resources are unacceptable, and we must deal with these problems first.

“At the end of the day, policies on immigration and asylum produced by either Labour or the Conservatives are pointless, as these matters are now decided by Qualified Majority Voting within the European Union. Lofty talk of ‘crackdowns’ and ‘tougher policies’ is so much hot air, as Mr Blunkett has signed away the right of our Parliament in Westminster to make policy on these issues”.

UKIP Immigration Policy

5 Feb 2005

Britain cannot continue to accommodate immigration at its present net rate of a million newcomers every four years. Yet, whilst our Government claims that the rate of new asylum applications has been falling:

1. The numbers of those permitted to enter legally has risen sharply as a result of the Eastern expansion of the European Union and deliberate government policy

2. Our present government has also been handing power over immigration to the European Union

3. This ensures the impotence of any British Government in solving the problem whilst we remain bound by EU law.

The Conservatives have promised to ‘negotiate’ Britain out of EU immigration rules but this is no more credible than their idea of negotiating us out of EU fishing policy. The Labour Party is using the untenable excuse that we need large numbers of immigrant workers. They are both avoiding the issue.

All British people, including our ethnic minorities, want immigration brought under control. The first duty of our Government is to Britain’s existing population, not to those from elsewhere who want to come and live here. Every prosperous country attracts immigrants and has the right to exercise control over those it accepts. We must exercise ours.

The UK Independence Party would aim to approach zero net immigration both by imposing far stricter limits on legal immigrants and by taking control, at last, of the vexed problem of illegal immigration.

Legal immigration

The Australian ‘points’ system

Currently, the criteria for evaluating applications for work permits are largely arbitrary and poorly enforced. UKIP favours a points system for evaluating applications for work permits, focusing on an identified need for specific skills and consistent with the overall objective of limiting numbers. Having withdrawn Britain from the EU, applications from its member countries would be treated in the same way as those from any other country.

Check those entering and leaving Britain

The Government has admitted that it has little idea who is here because embarkation controls have been abandoned, seriously hindering the enforcement of any rules over immigration, legal or illegal. It is essential to keep proper records of those crossing our borders.

Rights of residence

There is evidence of widespread abuse in the granting of residence rights to family members. UKIP would seek stricter control over this form of secondary immigration. It may require the reinstatement of some form of ‘primary purpose rule’ for judging the legitimacy of applications on grounds of marriage.

‘Britishness’ tests

UKIP favours arrangements that encourage those settling here to acquire knowledge of our language and culture and to assimilate fully INTO phpbb_our society.

Illegal immigration

Assessment of refugees

In the spirit of the 1951 (Geneva) Convention on the Status of Refugees, UKIP would not consider granting refugee status to asylum seekers who arrived via another ‘safe’ country. The British Government should also be able to determine its own criteria for defining those who are deemed to be refugees. We accept that this may mean reinterpreting or renegotiating relevant parts of the Convention.

Deportation

There will be no solution to the problem of illegal immigration until we find the courage to deport more of those who are refused the right to stay. Our human rights law must be changed to prevent it obstructing the assessment of asylum applications and the deportation of unsuccessful applicants. We believe that greater clarity about the criteria for refugee status, faster assessment and better enforcement will discourage people-trafficking and result in a system that is more humane than at present.

Health checks

All those entering Britain with the intention of staying would be subject to health checks for certain communicable diseases.

We appreciate that significant resources would be required for proper implementation of the above measures, particularly in providing suitable facilities at points of entry, and we would undertake to find such resources. There would be savings from the £2 billion a year that is now spent on supporting and assessing asylum seekers.

UKIP does NOT favour the application of quotas either for legal immigrants or for refugees. We believe the above measures, properly applied, will sufficiently limit the numbers taking up residence here and we shall then, once again, be able to make them all welcome.

---ends---

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07-02-2005, 03:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bellatrix Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 625	Have you guys read the 'one-stop shop' idea the commission has published? It's sickening.