It is interesting that immigration concerns in the U.K. are being treated with similarly divided views as they are here in the U.S. - except that it is the labour party that wants national indentity cards to "solve the problem", while the conservatives want controls on who is allowed to stay and controls at the border.
The opposite of what we have here; where the "republicans" are quite happy for all of us to be forced to have a national ID - while refusing to control the border and migrants, and the "democrats" ... um ... apparently want the same thing.
Funny how Comrade Blair and Comrade Bush want the same things. Or is it?
Howard sparks TV storm with 'fears of new race riots'
FRASER NELSON
POLITICAL EDITOR
BRITAIN faces a fresh wave of race riots unless immigration is brought under control, Michael Howard warned last night, in a dramatic escalation of the stakes in the general election.
The disturbances seen in Burnley and Bradford four years ago could set a template for what is to come, warned the Conservative leader, if immigration continues to be "out of control".
But Mr Howard was savaged on television last night by an audience which accused him of stirring up racial tensions before the general election - and seeking to scare voters into believing asylum is out of control.
Appearing on ITV’s Ask The Leaders series, Mr Howard - who has made immigration concerns his signature theme in this election - defended his robust stance on asylum and said the current system is fuelling racial tension.
"When people believe that there is no proper system, that immigration is out of control, I think that these anxieties make it more difficult to have good community relations," he said.
When asked if he feared a repeat of the 2001 race riots seen in some northern English towns, he replied: "Yes. I think people need confidence in the system. They must understand there is a proper system of controls."
When asked again if he was warning of a repeat of violence, Mr Howard said he would not put it in those terms. But he added: "We have to be vigilant if we are to make sure we continue to have good community relations."
This drew an angry response from the audience, where one member - Dean Velani, an Asian student - accused him of "pandering to xenophobia and hatred in our country".
Labour was last night hesitant in attacking Mr Howard’s remarks. Party aides suspected it may be a ruse to return the news agenda to immigration, which is the Tories’ strongest card. The economy is strongest for Labour.
The Conservatives plan to withdraw from the 1951 UN Refugee Convention so they can impose limits on asylum seekers. The party would set up a border police force, and only accept asylum seekers already in UN camps.
Labour say this would be illegal, and that their identity cards scheme is the best way to crack down on illegal asylum seekers. Like the Tories, Labour will introduce an Australian-style points system to evaluate asylum seekers.
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=415282005
The opposite of what we have here; where the "republicans" are quite happy for all of us to be forced to have a national ID - while refusing to control the border and migrants, and the "democrats" ... um ... apparently want the same thing.
Funny how Comrade Blair and Comrade Bush want the same things. Or is it?
------------------------------------------
Howard sparks TV storm with 'fears of new race riots'
FRASER NELSON
POLITICAL EDITOR
BRITAIN faces a fresh wave of race riots unless immigration is brought under control, Michael Howard warned last night, in a dramatic escalation of the stakes in the general election.
The disturbances seen in Burnley and Bradford four years ago could set a template for what is to come, warned the Conservative leader, if immigration continues to be "out of control".
But Mr Howard was savaged on television last night by an audience which accused him of stirring up racial tensions before the general election - and seeking to scare voters into believing asylum is out of control.
Appearing on ITV’s Ask The Leaders series, Mr Howard - who has made immigration concerns his signature theme in this election - defended his robust stance on asylum and said the current system is fuelling racial tension.
"When people believe that there is no proper system, that immigration is out of control, I think that these anxieties make it more difficult to have good community relations," he said.
When asked if he feared a repeat of the 2001 race riots seen in some northern English towns, he replied: "Yes. I think people need confidence in the system. They must understand there is a proper system of controls."
When asked again if he was warning of a repeat of violence, Mr Howard said he would not put it in those terms. But he added: "We have to be vigilant if we are to make sure we continue to have good community relations."
This drew an angry response from the audience, where one member - Dean Velani, an Asian student - accused him of "pandering to xenophobia and hatred in our country".
Labour was last night hesitant in attacking Mr Howard’s remarks. Party aides suspected it may be a ruse to return the news agenda to immigration, which is the Tories’ strongest card. The economy is strongest for Labour.
The Conservatives plan to withdraw from the 1951 UN Refugee Convention so they can impose limits on asylum seekers. The party would set up a border police force, and only accept asylum seekers already in UN camps.
Labour say this would be illegal, and that their identity cards scheme is the best way to crack down on illegal asylum seekers. Like the Tories, Labour will introduce an Australian-style points system to evaluate asylum seekers.
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=415282005