Blair: Tory immigration plans are unworkable
A stormy session of Prime Minister’s Question Time this lunchtime saw Tony Blair attack the Conservative Party’s asylum and immigration policy.
The policy, launched with great fanfare earlier this week, envisages an annual quota for both asylum seekers and immigrants, and all asylum applications would be processed outside of the UK.
This would require the UK to withdraw from the 1951 UN Convention of Refugees.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Blair said the plans were “completely unworkable” and “impractical”.
The Conservatives’ plans have caused widespread controversy, and Mr Blair said: “For the record I am not accusing the Honourable Gentleman of being a racist. He isn’t a racist he is just a shameless opportunist”.
Mr Howard had argued that the Government’s immigration policy was “unworkable” and highlighted that Ministers had introduced and abandoned dispersal, vouchers and designated lists. He added that the Prime Minister sacked officials who told the truth and clinged to Ministers who did not.
He referred the Prime Minister back to his comments of a year ago, where he said “we are not giving up the power to set our asylum laws”. Mr Howard claimed that according the European Commission this was not the case, saying: “Under his government, control of our borders is being given away to Brussels”.
Hitting back, Mr Blair said that all of the points made about the asylum situation were wrong, and repeatedly asked Mr Howard to explain or reveal what overseas location asylum seekers would be processed in.
Eventually he was rebuked by the Speaker Michael Martin who said it was for the Prime Minister, not the Leader of the Opposition to answer questions.
Mr Blair said he had no wish to withdraw from the UN Convention, arguing that the problem is those who claim asylum but who are really economic migrants, not genuine asylum seekers.
The Government would seek to stamp out abuses, he said, but would continue to welcome genuine refugees and all those who have a skill to contribute to Britain’s economy.
Mr Blair’s comments were welcomed by Maeve Sherlock, chief executive of the Refugee Council. She said: “We warmly welcome the Prime Minister’s statement of commitment to the Refugee Convention and his pledge to continue to welcome refugees to our shores.
“The Refugee Convention has saved millions of lives but it depends for its strength on the support of all countries including the major international players like the UK.”
