May warned ‘half-baked’ Immigration Bill will increase discrimination

By The Press Association13th October 2015News EnglandGovernment / Politics, Immigration, News England

Tough new immigration rules have cleared their first Commons hurdle despite fears the plans could increase discrimination.

The Immigration Bill was given a second reading 323 to 274, majority 49, after a Labour amendment was rejected by a margin of 40.

Home Secretary Theresa May launched the Bill promising MPs it would help ensure fairness for both those arriving with plans to contribute to society and the existing population.

Among the measures is a controversial requirement for landlords to check the immigration status of tenants, and restrictions on access to bank accounts and driving licences.

Mrs May insisted extreme views on immigration must be rejected but shadow home secretary Andy Burnham claimed Mrs May was speaking in a “markedly different tone” to her Tory conference speech last week in which she said high immigration damages social cohesion.

The Home Secretary faced widespread questioning on the plans – including from some on the Tory benches.

Conservative Richard Fuller (Bedford) said: “The problem is, it is very difficult for someone to see if someone is an illegal immigrant, what they see is someone who is different.

“Do you not accept that within this law there is the potential for discrimination to be increased if this is pursued too aggressively?”

Mrs May replied: “I think it is only fair to people who are coming here, who are making their contribution to society, who have actually played by the rules, that we do take efforts to ensure that those who are here with no right to be here who are abusing our systems are actually dealt with appropriately.

“That’s why on things like access to bank accounts and driving licences and other matters I think it is important that we have taken action.”

Introducing the Bill, Mrs May told the Commons: “When properly managed, immigration enriches this country as we benefit from the skills, talent and entrepreneurial flair people bring to our society.

“But as I said in my speech recently when net migration is too high and the pace of change is too fast, it puts pressure on schools, hospitals, accommodation, transport, social services and it can drive down wages for people on low incomes.

“So we must achieve the right balance, rejecting both extremes of the debate – from those who oppose immigration altogether to those who want entirely open borders.”

Mr Burnham attacked the Government’s bill, saying it contained “half-baked, divisive measures”.

“We won’t support legislation in haste that is not backed by clear evidence and that is the problem with this bill,” he said.

“Parts of it appear to have been drafted on the same beer mat, in the same pub as the Home Secretary’s speech to Conservative party conference in Manchester.”

Mr Burnham criticised plans to make renting a property to someone with no immigration status punishable by a jail sentence.

He said “landlords are not border or immigration experts” and they are “not experts in spotting forged documents”.

Stuart McDonald, the SNP’s immigration, asylum and border control spokesman, accused the Government of “immigration theatre”.

He said: “The Government wants to be seen to be doing something so it goes through the motions of yet another Immigration Bill and to hell with the consequences.”

Liberal Democrat former minister Alistair Carmichael opposed the Bill, adding: “Not one of the Bill’s 56 clauses looks at finding a solution or easing the pressure on Europe’s borders.”