Why Labour's happy to leave our door on the latch
by PETER HITCHENS, Mail on Sunday
The Government is deliberately hiding the truth about immigration. The disclosures by Steve Moxon, a civil servant, prove it.
This is despicable in itself, and we are right to be angry about it. I hope there are no prim voices saying Mr Moxon should have abided by the Official Secrets Act.
But anger by itself is useless. The important thing is first to understand the scale of New Labour's project to change Britain into a multicultural nowhere land.
Labour likes mass immigration for two reasons.
One, it provides a constant excuse to censor the past and change the future. The false argument is made, for example, that migrant minorities will be offended if British history is taught as it should be, or if specifically Christian ceremonies are retained.
Since New Labour hate this history and long to abolish those ceremonies, this suits them very well. And it destroys the essential feeling of belonging and mutual responsibility that made us a nation. Since New Labour believe we should be dissolved in the EU, they don't mind a bit about that.
Two, it props up the economy which they have messed up Welfare benefits at one end and penal taxation at the other mean that it simply isn't worth it for most British people to work for low-wage jobs. What's more, restrictive laws make it hard for small employers to create such jobs.
But allow tens of thousands of illegal migrants into the country and you will then bring about an uncontrollable shadow economy, in which they slave away at essential tasks for misery wages which are only bearable-because they pay no taxes, working for bosses who wink at their illegal status.
This unscrupulous, cynical and destructive policy seems to me to be the real aim of this Government.
For reasons which baffle me, far too many voters cannot see this and are fooled by Labour's pretend policies - cringingly promoted by feeble, tame newspapers and broadcasters.
Eventually, people will notice that the pretend policies, usually adorned with the giveaway word 'tough' and associated with David Blunkett or Mr Blair himself, never actually take effect.
And they will also realise that the real policy, of leaving the national door permanently on the latch, most certainly is taking effect.
But will the realisation come in time?
POLL REVEALS MASS OF VOTERS THINK LABOUR TOO SOFT ON IMMIGRATION
THE scale of public concern over immigration is exposed in an opinion poll today which shows how four out of five voters believe Tony Blair’s government is too soft on the issue, writes Andrew Porter.
A YouGov poll for The Mail on Sunday shows that 80% of the public do not believe the government’s policies on immigration are tough enough. The poll also shows three in four people believe Britain is already overcrowded and one in four say the flow of foreigners should be halted altogether.
Less than half of those surveyed believe Blair’s argument that the UK needs more foreign workers in order to boost the economy.
The survey was carried out last week after the resignation of immigration minister Beverley Hughes. Her former boss, home secretary David Blunkett, comes under fierce criticism with 40% saying he should also stand down.
Seven out of 10 voters say all refugees should be held in detention centres until their applications have been processed. Almost half say that even genuine asylum seekers fleeing persecution should be turned away.
Labour MPs now acknowledge the threat that the immigration and asylum crisis poses to their seats.
In another blow to Blair, an ICM poll for the News of the World identifies the Tories as the party that people will turn to for a solution to the problem. Thirty-eight per cent said the Tories would exercise effective control over migration, more than double the amount who say Labour can handle the issue.
The immediate concern for Labour party managers will be how the issue plays with voters at the local and European elections in June.