Elvio Pasca
Giro di vite nel programma del Labour sull’immigrazione: "Potranno entrare solo lavoratori qualificati"
Roma – 13 aprile 2010 – “La gente deve sapere che l’immigrazione è controllata, che le regole sono severe e giuste e che le comunità vengono supportate nell’affrontare il cambiamento”.
Lo dice il programma elettorale presentato in Gran Bretagna dal Labour Party in vista delle elezioni di maggio. Un programma che, in linea con gli annunci del premier Gordon Brown, annuncia un giro di vite per gli ingressi nel Regno Unito, cercando di recuperare consensi in un’opinion pubblica spaventata dall’immigrazione.
“Non arriverà immigrazione non qualificata,. Il sistema a punti sarà usato per controllare l’immigrazione con limiti per i lavoratori altamente qualificati e gli studenti universitari. Noi vogliamo vedere salire i livelli occupazionali e gli stipendi, non l’immigrazione” spiega il Labour.
In questo new deal, avrà un ruolo fondamentale la conoscenza della lingua inglese, che rende “più facile l’integrazione”. Quindi, si legge ancora nel programma, “oltre a rendere più duro il nostro test di inglese, ci assicureremo che venga affrontato da tutti gli immigrati prima del loro arrivo”.
“Crediamo – conclude il Labour – che venire in Gran Bretagna sia un privilegio e non un diritto, quindi romperemo il collegamento automatico tra il soggiorno per un determinato periodo e la possibilità di ottenere la cittadinanza. in futuro, il soggiorno dipenderà dal sistema a punti, e l’accesso ai benefici e alle case popolari sarà riservato ai cittadini britanni e ai residenti permanenti”.
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Ecco la sezione dedicata all’immigrazione di The Labour Party Manifesto 2010:
“Strong borders and immigration controls
We are committed to an immigration system that promotes and protects British values. People need to know that immigration is controlled, that the rules are firm and fair, and that there is support for communities in dealing with change.
Our borders are stronger than ever. A new Border Agency has police-level powers and thousands more immigration officers, 100 per cent of visas are now biometric, and new electronic border controls will be counting people in and out by the end of the year. Asylum claims are back down to early 1990s levels, and the cost of asylum support to the taxpayer has been cut by half in the last six years. Genuine refugees will continue to receive protection.
Our new Australian-style pointsbased system is ensuring we get the migrants our economy needs, but no more. We will gradually tighten the criteria in line with the needs of the British economy and the values of British citizenship, and step up our action against illegal immigration. There will be no unskilled migration from outside the EU. Skilled jobs are now advertised here first for four weeks with more vacancies going to local workers, and public procurement will in future give priority to local people. The points-based system will be used to control migration with limits for highskilled workers and university students. As growth returns we want to see rising levels of employment and wages, not rising immigration.
We recognise that immigration can place pressures on housing and public services in some communities so we will expand the Migration Impact Fund, paid for by contributions from migrants, to help local areas.
We know that migrants who are fluent in English are more likely to work and find it easier to integrate. So as well as making our English test harder, we will ensure it is taken by all applicants before they arrive. Local councils and other public services should keep funding for translation services to a minimum. Many public-sector workers are already required to meet minimum standards of English; we will build on this to ensure that all employees who have contact with the public possess an appropriate level of English language competence.
Because we believe coming to Britain is a privilege and not a right, we will break the automatic link between staying here for a set period and being able to settle or gain citizenship. In future, staying will be dependent on the pointsbased system, and access to benefits and social housing will increasingly be reserved for British citizens and permanent residents – saving the taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds each year. We will continue to emphasise the value we place on citizenship, and the responsibilities as well as rights it brings, through the citizenship pledge and ceremony, and by strengthening the test of British values and traditions.”
