Byers seeks more immigration curbs

Byers: the government should not ignore fears about immigration

Former cabinet minister Stephen Byers has called for tough new curbs on immigration and public services access for illegal entrants.

He said businesses found to be employing illegal workers should be fined £2,000 per worker, with colleges and universities also facing fines for enrolling bogus students.

Mr Byers praised the tough measures taken by Home Secretary David Blunkett to reach to achieve a government pledge to cut asylum applications to half their 92,000 high by September.

But he said those measures did not go far enough - and that the government should ignore fears of being branded racist and "say openly exactly what we want from our immigration policy".

Speaking to the Social Market Foundation think-tank in London, Mr Byers said that people had "legitimate concerns" over immigration.

'Under threat'

"They are concerned that their schools and health services are under increased pressure, they feel their national identity is under threat and that they are having to pay for people who are simply exploiting the system," he said.

He said such people included many Labour voters, and warned the government not to ignore such concerns.

"The mistake made by a number of political parties on the left elsewhere in Europe who went on to pay a heavy political price at the ballot box", he said.

Mr Byers said Labour voters made up "many of those most frightened by immigration".

"It is all too easy for someone who is here illegally to receive the benefits of our public services".

"To stop them from taking advantage of the system it would be possible to require anyone registering with a doctor, school or council housing department to show they are here legally and part of the system.

'Policy of the fearful'

"By requiring them to show some documentary proof, like a national insurance number, passport, birth certificate or Application Registration Card. If they cannot do so then they would not receive services except in a clear medical emergency."

Measures proposed to put an end to "NHS tourism" by Health Minister John Hutton on Tuesday were a step in the right direction, he said.

He also called for an annual limit on immigration, which would correspond to the number of asylum seekers and families permitted entry the previous year.

Mr Byers's comments came on the same day the first book-length study of the government's policy of "dispersing" asylum seekers appeared.

'Moral panic' driving asylum policy

It condemned the policy for being driven by a desire to "appease a fearful white electorate" rather than taking a calm approach to the settlement of people rightfully fleeing persecution.

And it said politicians' and media portrayals of immigrants were often negative and misleading.

Mr Byers stepped down from his post as transport secretary in May, 2002, following months of pressure, initially for standing by spin doctor Jo Moore who sent an email describing 11 September 2001 as "a good day to bury" bad news.

Mr Byers also faced criticism from the City over his decision to force Railtrack into administration.