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'No action offered' on migration 'No action offered' on migration
(about 3 hours later)
The Conservatives have accused the government of offering "no action" on immigration after a minister seemed to "row back" on a UK population cap.The Conservatives have accused the government of offering "no action" on immigration after a minister seemed to "row back" on a UK population cap.
Immigration Minister Phil Woolas told The Times the population had to be kept below 70 million, with a "balance" between numbers coming and leaving. Immigration Minister Phil Woolas told The Times the population had to be kept below 70 million.
But he later told the BBC there was a "lot of nonsense" talked about a cap, which would be "very difficult" to set.But he later told the BBC there was a "lot of nonsense" talked about a cap, which would be "very difficult" to set.
Shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve said ministers had "buried their heads in the sand" on immigration.
Labour has not previously set a policy on the size of the population.Labour has not previously set a policy on the size of the population.
In Saturday's Times, Mr Woolas was quoted as saying immigration would become an "extremely thorny" issue if people were losing jobs during an economic downturn.In Saturday's Times, Mr Woolas was quoted as saying immigration would become an "extremely thorny" issue if people were losing jobs during an economic downturn.
I'm not saying there could be no limit whatsoever Phil Woolas, immigration minister How points workAnalysis: The question of quotasI'm not saying there could be no limit whatsoever Phil Woolas, immigration minister How points workAnalysis: The question of quotas
He said setting a population policy would enable the government to set a limit on migration.He said setting a population policy would enable the government to set a limit on migration.
Mr Woolas added: "It's been too easy to get into this country in the past and it's going to get harder."Mr Woolas added: "It's been too easy to get into this country in the past and it's going to get harder."
But on BBC One's Politics Show, he said: "I think, frankly, there's a lot of nonsense talked about the cap...But on BBC One's Politics Show, he said: "I think, frankly, there's a lot of nonsense talked about the cap...
"The European Union population can come and go just as we from Britain go and live in Spain, perhaps, or France - so, too, can others come to our country."The European Union population can come and go just as we from Britain go and live in Spain, perhaps, or France - so, too, can others come to our country.
"So it's very difficult to see, even if we are in favour of a cap, what it should be.""So it's very difficult to see, even if we are in favour of a cap, what it should be."
But he said: "I'm not saying there could be no limit whatsoever."But he said: "I'm not saying there could be no limit whatsoever."
He said there was no "simple message", but there would be limits on worker migration, with the points-based immigration system - which restricts unskilled immigration from outside the EU - coming fully into operation in NovemberHe said there was no "simple message", but there would be limits on worker migration, with the points-based immigration system - which restricts unskilled immigration from outside the EU - coming fully into operation in November
He added: "And of course we will look at the total population in that context."He added: "And of course we will look at the total population in that context."
But Mr Grieve said: "The minister has admitted that behind his words there is no action.But Mr Grieve said: "The minister has admitted that behind his words there is no action.
"We will do more than give warm interviews. We will introduce an annual limit on non-EU immigration, transitional controls on immigration from new member states, and establish a dedicated UK border police force.""We will do more than give warm interviews. We will introduce an annual limit on non-EU immigration, transitional controls on immigration from new member states, and establish a dedicated UK border police force."
The government recently introduced a new points-based system to attract migrants from outside the EU to certain jobs. In an Evening Standard article, he wrote: "For a long time ministers buried their heads in the sand, ignoring the problems that uncontrolled immigration was steadily building up.
The Home Office said this provided "a powerful and flexible set of controls" which allowed it to "raise or lower the bar" according to needs. "Net immigration has quadrupled under Labour - fuelled both by the lack of transitional controls on new EU member states and a failure to control economic migration from outside the EU."
The Home Office says its points based system provides "a powerful and flexible set of controls" which allows it to "raise or lower the bar" according to needs.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics show the population grew by nearly two million to 60,975,000 between 2001 and 2007.Figures from the Office for National Statistics show the population grew by nearly two million to 60,975,000 between 2001 and 2007.
Various official projections predict this to rise to 77m in 2051 or 110m in 2081.Various official projections predict this to rise to 77m in 2051 or 110m in 2081.