Thursday 21 May 2015

U.K. IMMIGRATION (4)

The British Conservative Party has long had a target to reduce net migration (immigration less emigration) to under 100,000 people a year. Having just won an absolute majority at the recent general election, it can now put that policy into practice.

Unfortunately, there is one snag, albeit a big one. Net migration in 2014 was up a massive 50% on the previous year to 318,000, the largest figure for a decade. Emigration was pretty stable at 323,000, but immigration jumped sharply, to 641,000.

What is most worrying for Prime Minister David Cameron is the main reason behind this jump, namely the number of non-British nationals from the rest of the E.U. coming to Britain to work. It is precisely this issue that he would like to tackle in the proposed renegotiation of Britain's relationship with the E.U.; and precisely this issue which the rest of the E.U. (and particularly Member States from Eastern Europe) would like to remain unchanged.

Without any change in E.U. rules, it is hard to see what Mr. Cameron can do. He can't stop people emigrating to sunnier climes if they want; and he can't really stop British-based businesses from employing foreigners, if they want to do so. What is left is not much more than words.

Walter Blotscher

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