I oppose an amnesty for four basic reasons: (1) it rewards those who broke the law: (2) it punishes those who have obeyed the law by staying outside the UK while they go through the proper channels to come here to work legally (3) it sends the wrong message to those outside our borders - if you get here illegally, and work here illegally long enough, you'll be ok (4) it doesn't work - Spain has had 6 amnesties for illegal immigrants since 1985/86, and in that time the number of people applying for amnesty (ie, illegal immigrants working unlawfully in Spain) has markedly increased over time - 44,000 in 1985/86, 127,000 in 2000, and 700,000 in 2005.
Labour actually has got a good story to tell on Immigration, not that you'd know it from reading the Daily Mail (quel surpris!). As well as the Australian-style points system and the 'earned residency and citizenship' programme, there's at least 6 important steps being taken to secure the UK's borders:
First, an ID card scheme for foreign nationals, with over 170,000 cards issued to date.
Second, an electronic border control, which by the end of 2010 should have 95% of people entering/leaving the UK on it.
Third, a new single border agency, with more staff (20,000 in 1997, 25,000 in 2010) and double the number of Immigration Officers at the border.
Fourth, the siting of border control staff overseas with the power to stop suspicious travellers before they travel to the UK.
Fifth, tougher requirements for student visas, including pre-entry English language requirements, reducing the hours non-EU students are allowed to work, and closing down bogus colleges in the UK.Sixth, tougher action against employers who employ illegal immigrants - unlimited fines (3,800 imposed to date) and the threat of a jail sentence.
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