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immigration cap
Jan 9, 2012
2 Comment(s)
We can expect business voices on migration to ring out over the coming months as economic migration policies tighten. So what will businesses be arguing for, and what is the relevance of these arguments to the migrant support sector?
As the New Year begins with more gloomy economic forecasting, we can expect an increase in the finger-pointing at migration as a major cause of today's economic and labour market problems. But in the midst of this, many will be preoccupied by evidence to the contrary, which indicates the vital role for immigration in today's economy - and the part that continued international mobility needs to play in supporting the UK's economic growth into the future.
As the New Year begins with more gloomy economic forecasting, we can expect an increase in the finger-pointing at migration as a major cause of today's economic and labour market problems. But in the midst of this, many will be preoccupied by evidence to the contrary, which indicates the vital role for immigration in today's economy - and the part that continued international mobility needs to play in supporting the UK's economic growth into the future.
Jan 3, 2012
7 Comment(s)
The start of a fresh New Year is a time for making predictions as well as resolutions. Resolutions are a bit personal, but predictions aren’t worth much unless you have the nerve to state them openly. So here’s my take on what challenges are in store for the world of immigration in 2012.....
Firstly, the coming year will be the last chance the coalition government has to declare itself fully in control of movements across borders, before its narrative breaks down in 2013 and following years. Home Secretary Teresa May will continue to work hard to offer raw red meat to the backbenchers of her own party with evidence that security at air and sea ports and the Eurostar stations is tight. This will be achieved at the cost of long delays and enormous queues, as we saw at Heathrow last summer, with tourists suffering in their thousands as they struggle to clear passport checks.
Firstly, the coming year will be the last chance the coalition government has to declare itself fully in control of movements across borders, before its narrative breaks down in 2013 and following years. Home Secretary Teresa May will continue to work hard to offer raw red meat to the backbenchers of her own party with evidence that security at air and sea ports and the Eurostar stations is tight. This will be achieved at the cost of long delays and enormous queues, as we saw at Heathrow last summer, with tourists suffering in their thousands as they struggle to clear passport checks.
Dec 21, 2011
2 Comment(s)
MRN Newsletter and our blogs will be taking a break over the holidays, next appearing on Tuesday 3rd January. We will be resuming normal Monday publication on a weekly basis after that. As well as wishing you all the very best for the festive season, we thought you might like to hear a little of what we are planning for 2012....
Our team here at MRN would like to say how much we have appreciated working with you all over the course of the last 12 months. As a network our capacity to do this work depends on all the feedback we get from you. The exchanges on our blogs, Facebook postings and tweets, as well as the conversations we have at the numerous workshops and conferences we’ve been involved in during the past 12 months, have all added to the message MRN strives to get out into the wider public discussion – that migration is a positive feature of the life of modern day Britain and support for the rights of migrants needs to be made a central part of the immigration policies which we ought to be pursuing. We have a very full programme of activity lined up for 2012. We expect to be fully involved in campaigns to:
Our team here at MRN would like to say how much we have appreciated working with you all over the course of the last 12 months. As a network our capacity to do this work depends on all the feedback we get from you. The exchanges on our blogs, Facebook postings and tweets, as well as the conversations we have at the numerous workshops and conferences we’ve been involved in during the past 12 months, have all added to the message MRN strives to get out into the wider public discussion – that migration is a positive feature of the life of modern day Britain and support for the rights of migrants needs to be made a central part of the immigration policies which we ought to be pursuing. We have a very full programme of activity lined up for 2012. We expect to be fully involved in campaigns to:
Dec 13, 2011
2 Comment(s)
The debate on immigration in Parliament pulled in 24 MPs of which two were Home Office ministers (Damian Green MP and James Brokenshire MP) and one was the Shadow Minister for Immigration (Chris Bryant MP). There was no specific element of UK immigration policy on trial in the Commons chamber but the subject in its entirety was debated, drawing on comparisons between the previous and incumbent governments record on the matter.
Damian Green MP, the Minister of State for Immigration, gave the audience an update on the government’s vision and priorities on immigration, repeating the oft heard mantra of attracting ‘the brightest and the best’, or as we now hear ‘selective immigration’ because the previous government had a system that ‘was not only chaotic but indiscriminate’. This statement could be interpreted as a government policy that happily promotes discrimination, coating it with the arch-narrative of ‘protecting jobs’ and only attracting the ‘investors’ and ‘entrepreneurs’.
Damian Green MP, the Minister of State for Immigration, gave the audience an update on the government’s vision and priorities on immigration, repeating the oft heard mantra of attracting ‘the brightest and the best’, or as we now hear ‘selective immigration’ because the previous government had a system that ‘was not only chaotic but indiscriminate’. This statement could be interpreted as a government policy that happily promotes discrimination, coating it with the arch-narrative of ‘protecting jobs’ and only attracting the ‘investors’ and ‘entrepreneurs’.
Dec 8, 2011
2 Comment(s)
News this week that the government's Office of Budget Responsibility is building continued migration into economic growth forecasts should serve as a reminder that migration policies which secure rights could bring substantial benefits to the UK economy at a time of real need.
This week the coalition government has new cause to regret strapping itself to a pledge of reducing net migration to the “tens of thousands” per year by 2015. The latest outlook report from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) shows that even the government’s expert advisors assume this target will not be met.
This week the coalition government has new cause to regret strapping itself to a pledge of reducing net migration to the “tens of thousands” per year by 2015. The latest outlook report from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) shows that even the government’s expert advisors assume this target will not be met.
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