The recently introduced 5 tier points system provided greater objectivity and removed the mix up of immigration with race relations, making it possible for there to be better race relations in the UK. He acknowledged there had been problems over the issuing of visas in Russia and Pakistan, but operations in those countries were now working fine.

Ivan Lewis MP, Minister of State at the Foreign Office, said immigration was an incredibly sensitive and difficult issue that needed honesty and political leadership, and had to be dealt with across Government, breaking down departmental silos. Phil Woolas ruled out an amnesty for illegal immigrants: it would be unfair to legal migrants and only encourage more people to come via clandestine routes. We were already seeing a reduction in the number of illegal immigrants, but it would be impossible to put a cap on net immigration as in a free society it was simply not possible to control the number of people leaving.

Photo: Andy Rain, EPA
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Christopher Wyld