Immigration &
the General
Election

9 April 2015

Immigration is a hot topic in this year’s UK general election and with polling day creeping ever closer, political bodies are readying their manifestos for public review.

Below, we give you a sneak preview of what we can expect in relation to their varying approaches towards UK immigration.

The Conservative Party

2014 saw David Cameron forced to abandon plans to place an emergency brake on immigration to the UK in the form of a migrant cap and fail in the Conservative’s aim of reducing the amount of migrants entering the UK to under 100,000 a year. Looking forward, however, a Conservative government would aim to introduce the following immigration measures:

  • Migrants will have to wait four years before becoming entitled to state benefits, including tax credits, universal credits and access to social housing.
  • Migrants will be prevented from claiming child benefits for children living outside the UK.
  • EU migrants who have not managed to find work after living in the UK for six months will be removed from the country.
  • The reformation of EU free movement rules will take centre-stage in future negotiations with the EU.

The Labour Party

The Labour Party has enjoyed a year of highlighting the Conservative’s failure to bring down annual migration figures. It has, however, also found time to develop its own plan of action should the public favour a Labour government:

  • Borders will be strengthened to tackle illegal immigration via ‘proper’ entry and exit checks.
  • Low-skilled migration will be reduced.
  • Talented foreign students and workers will not be discouraged from coming to the UK.
  • Recruitment agencies who only recruit from abroad will be banned.
  • Fines for employing illegal workers will be increased.

The Liberal Democrats

The Lib Dems recently succeeded in reintroducing exit checks for all UK travellers leaving the UK despite much public concern over the delays these checks might cause passengers and travel operators alike.

Should they form part of another coalition government following May’s election, they are likely to announce plans to introduce English language tests for those migrants wishing to claim Job Seekers Allowance (JSA). Claimants whose English proves to be too poor would have to attend and complete an English language course in order to become eligible to receive JSA.

The Greens

In a contradiction to most other party manifestos, the Greens wish to progressively reduce UK immigration controls. Migrants who have been in the UK illegally for five years or more would be allowed to stay unless they pose a threat to public safety and the party would also fight to gain more legal rights for asylum seekers.

The UK Independence Party

UKIP wishes to introduce an Australian-style points policy, whereby both EEA and non-EEA migrants would be selected based on whether or not they have the skill set necessary to work in the UK.  Further to this, UKIP plans to introduce the following policies:

  • Reduce net migration to under 50,000 people a year.
  • Introduce priority lanes for UK passport holders at UK airports.
  • Increase UK border staff by 250,000.
  • Introduce tougher English Language Tests for migrants seeking permanent residence in the UK.
  • Allow the UK to return asylum seekers to other EU countries without considering their claim.
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