Home Secretary calls for more debate on UK immigration

November 09 2009 by Liam Clifford

Alan Johnson is ready to answer the important questions on UK immigration that may have gone unanswered in the past.

In order to limit the influence of far right anti-immigration organisations like the BNP, the UK government needs to engage in open discussion about UK immigration, says Home Secretary Alan Johnson.

Johnson says that more "rational" debate on immigration, which he says is “a major public concern”, may help to reduce the impact the far right has on general public opinion about immigrants in the UK.

In an interview with the Independent newspaper, Johnson stated, "People think we have shied away from a debate on it. They may well be right.” He continued, “the public deserves a rational debate on this, rather than what they sometimes get, which is at the extreme end of the scale."
Johnson told the Independent that he stands by the opinion that, "immigration has been a good thing for this country – culturally, socially and certainly economically".

Johnson added that the UK immigration policy was not an “open door” one and claims that the Labour government has now changed the system dramatically. Changes include the introduction of the UK points-based system for people moving to the UK from outside of the EU.

Johnson says he is ready to discuss the issue any time, adding that the lack of open discussion so far has denied the party the chance to talk about the changes put in place over the past year or so.

See the latest Immigration News