[The debate on immigration heats up in the UK. It appears to me that the UK may yet be the first non-White nation in Europe. Whether the British will be able to prevent this… remains to be seen. Jan]

Feb. 7 (Bloomberg) — U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair plans to allow only people who speak English and have skills that are in demand to settle in Britain, after polls showed the public considers immigration rules to be too weak.

(96)`(96)`The controls you need are to weed out the abuses,’ Blair said in a Sky News television interview today in London after the plan was presented to Parliament. (96)`(96)`But in weeding out those abuses, you shouldn’t do damage to the economy.’

The five-year asylum and immigration plan, outlined by Home Secretary Charles Clarke in the House of Commons, sets out a four- tier system of points for those applying to work in Britain from outside the European Union. People who speak English and have skills in demand will be able to settle in the U.K., while unskilled workers and students won’t be allowed to stay permanently.

A YouGov Ltd. poll in yesterday’s Mail on Sunday found 78 percent of respondents agreed that immigration rules are (96)`(96)`not tough enough.’ A fifth wanted to stop immigration altogether, and 70 percent disagreed that the U.K. needs foreign workers. No margin of error was given for the poll of 1,989 people between Feb. 3 and Feb. 5.

(96)`(96)`The public needs to have confidence that our immigration system is properly run and enforced, with strict controls that work,’ Clarke said. (96)`(96)`People need to understand who is allowed into the country and why.’

Track Migrants

The plan aims to remove failed asylum applicants faster and to track migrants by fingerprinting all visa applicants.

(96)`(96)`I believe that it’s out of a lack of clarity about the situation that various forms of bigotry can develop,’ Clarke told journalists before making his statement. His proposals would replace the current immigration rules with a (96)`(96)`clear and transparent’ system.

The opposition Conservative Party rejected the proposals, calling instead for a quota, set by Parliament, on the total number of migrants allowed in each year.

(96)`(96)`Migration is part of a competitive, dynamic economy,’ Conservative spokesman David Davis said. (96)`(96)`However, the issue is not just about the economy. It is also about the pressure on public services like housing, schools and hospitals. For that reason alone, we need a clear limit on numbers.’

(96)`Stalinist’

While Clarke described such a plan as (96)`(96)`Stalinist’ in Parliament, he conceded earlier that his own plan was (96)`(96)`not an entirely free market situation. We’ll say, as a country, there are sectors where we need people.’

Under the proposals, there will be four tiers for workers, with a certain number of points needed for each tier. The top will be people such as doctors, finance experts and computer specialists whose skills and experience will earn them enough points to enter the U.K. without a job offer.

The second tier will be skilled workers who come with a job offer. Jobs judged to be in demand by an independent advisory body will earn more points. Clarke cited teachers and nurses as examples of the kind of workers he expected to qualify.

The third tier will be low-skilled workers who will be allowed in for specific periods to meet specific needs. The Home Office plan anticipates that Britain’s demand for low-skilled workers can be met from within the EU, which in May last year expanded to add 10 new countries, mainly from eastern Europe.

The fourth tier will be students and specialists such as ministers of religion or representatives of other countries. Only workers in the first two tiers will be able to apply to stay permanently in the U.K.

(96)`(96)`Without the option of being able to recruit from abroad, sectors like construction, IT and hospitality would have severe problems,’ said Digby Jones, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry. (96)`(96)`The U.K. needs skilled migrants who speak English and participate in the economy. If the government’s proposals give us a system that delivers that and firmly and openly deals with those who don’t wish to come here on those terms, then the right balance will have been struck.’

To contact the reporter on this story:
Robert Hutton in London on [email protected]

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Catherine Hickley on [email protected]

Last Updated: February 7, 2005 12:22 EST