Immigration heads election battle (Tory race-baiting)

[Anarcho-Socialist]

Tory leader Michael Howard has accused Tony Blair of "pussyfooting" around immigration problems as the election campaign resumes after a two-day pause.

Mr Howard said immigration was "out of control" and said the issue "should not be swept under the carpet".

But Labour Cabinet minister Peter Hain accused the Conservatives of "scurrilous, right-wing, ugly tactics".

Lib Dem leader Charles Kennedy said Britain benefited from being a multi-racial, multi-ethnic society.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4428517.stm

I actually agree with Peter Hain for once.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

1. Guardian perspective: Former Tory attacks party's immigration plans

Former Tory attacks party's immigration plans

Tom Happold
Sunday April 10, 2005

Michael Howard's attempt to refocus the election campaign on the issues of asylum and immigration was undermined today by one of his former ministerial colleagues, Charles Wardle, who described the Tory leader's policies as unworkable and uncosted.

The former Tory immigration minister told reporters at a Labour party press conference that Mr Howard's policies are "uncosted, unworkable and likely to make immigration and asylum problems worse not better".

Mr Wardle's comments came as the latest Observer/MORI opinion poll put Labour seven points ahead of the Conservatives, on a comfortable 40%, with the Tories on 33% and the Liberal Democrats on 19%.

(snip)

Mr Kennedy was speaking ahead of a rally of his party's candidates in London, where he promised that the Liberal Democrats would concentrate on positive campaigning and avoid "yah-boo politics".

More at:
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/election/story/0,15803,1456520,00.html

[Anarcho-Socialist]

2. Duplicate n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. It's alright, A-S, you can side with the UN on this one

No need to have to think about Hain possibly being right for once:

UN attacks Howard for 'false' claims on asylum

Michael Howard has been accused by the United Nations refugee agency of indulging in "political opportunism" and encouraging hatred of foreigners by dragging asylum-seekers into party politics.

The stinging rebuke comes ahead of Mr Howard's first speech since the official start of the election campaign, in which he will again put immigration into the centre of the political arena by accusing Tony Blair of wanting to "pussyfoot around" the issue. He will assert that "it's not racist to talk about immigration".

His words fly in the face of a sharply worded warning from the British representative of the UNHCR, Anne Dawson-Shepherd, who has accused the Conservatives of making false claims about asylum-seekers and has pleaded with them to "stick to the facts". "UNHCR is terribly worried as among some quarters the crisis rhetoric and lumping of asylum with immigration issues continues, often fuelled by thinly disguised xenophobia and political opportunism," she said.

Her statement was provoked by a false claim put out by the Conservatives in defence of their much ridiculed promise to set up offshore centres where asylum-seekers can be held while their claims are processed.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=627947

How often has the UN had to criticise British party politics? We're really in the gutter this election - and hardly anyone is looking up at the stars.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

4. Phew!

I can breathe more easily!

[fedsron2us]

5. I assume the Tories think this is a vote winner

but I am a little surprised they have made it a front line policy issue. It is not as though the existing governments policy on asylum or immigrants is particularly liberal. They would be far better advised hitting Labour in areas where they are known to be weak such as the Council Tax or the pensions crisis. The Conservative spokesman David Willets actually has a far more coherent and populist policy on the latter issue than the government but the Tories have not exploited this advantage. Howard's current negative campaign is playing right into Blair's hands.

[T_i_B]

6. Unfortunatly...

...I think that immigrant-bashing IS a vote winner to a certain extent. It's all some people ever think of politics-wise. However, I for one have little time for the immigrant bashers.

[non sociopath skin]

7. Yes, to a certain extent.

However, there is an element of risk which gives me hope.

Many of those who - largely through lack of actual knowledge - feel "threatened" by the immigrant issue are also people who were "threatened" by Thatcherism and haven't forgotten. I am not convinced that, for them, immigration will ultimately trump issues like Healthcare and Social Security.

Meanwhile, a tub-thumping Right Wing campaign will not play well with all small "c" conservatives from Prince Charles down, many of whom are pragmatically cosmopolitan.

BTW My wife is a white, American immigrant. But she's an immigrant and sees herself as a sister under the skin with those whom the Party of the Night are bad-mouthing ... and she won't be the only one.

Interesting, isn't it, that the US Neocons have been VERY careful to separate out Asylum Seekers on the one hand and "Immigrants," on the other.

The Skin

[ben_packard]

8. There is definitely a down side to the immigrant-bashing

I know more people who will in no way consider voting Tory due to this position than have been swayed by it. I suspect this is because I try to avoid making friends with racist bigots and I guess overall it will be a vote puller, but I don't think we're going to see a reprisal of the Australian election here.

[T_i_B]

9. Threatened?

Many of those who - largely through lack of actual knowledge - feel "threatened" by the immigrant issue are also people who were "threatened" by Thatcherism and haven't forgotten. I am not convinced that, for them, immigration will ultimately trump issues like Healthcare and Social Security.

Down here in deepest darkest Essex the people who tend to feel most threatened by immigration are often the ones who have benefited from Thatcherism and who still admire the woman. This is Toryland down here after all and I must admit, we do have our fair share of anti-immigrant wingnuts.

Of course I must admit I see this most in the more rural necks of the woods where it's all pretty Anglo-Saxon anyway.

[tjwmason]

10. The same round here

Though there is a large Islamic community in High Wycombe which is very close and so it's not that much of a monoglot area.

The memory of 'Blessed Margaret' (yes I have heard her called that) is still very close at hand.

[D-Notice]

11. I've never understood how

people who claim to be Anglo-Saxon can complain about immigration...

As far as I can see it, the only one's with a right to complain are those of Celtic blood

[ikri]

12. I've used that argument myself

Having red hair & a Celtic ancestry is useful for telling right-wing nut cases to get the hell out of MY country!