This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/tory-mp-michael-fallon-says-claims-immigrants-are-swamping-towns-were-a-little-careless-9820768.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Tory MP Michael Fallon says claims immigrants are 'swamping' towns were 'a little careless' Tory MP Michael Fallon says claims immigrants are 'swamping' towns were 'a little careless'
(about 5 hours later)
Michael Fallon has admitted claims that some towns are being "swamped" by migrant workers from Europe were "a bit careless". The Defence Secretary Michael Fallon today admitted he had been “a bit careless” to claim that some parts of the country are being “swamped” by immigrants and that their residents felt “under siege”.
The Tory minister was forced into a humiliating apology after saying yesterday that residents felt "under siege" at the level of immigration. But he also insisted the “large number” of migrant workers from the European Union was piling pressure on housing and other essential services.
In a significant toughening of the party’s language on the issue, the Defence Secretary's words echoed provocative comments in the 1970s by Margaret Thatcher. The Minister was slapped down by Downing Street last night after he made his initial comments in a television interview.
However, Mr Fallon maintained that the “large number” of immigrants coming from the continent was putting pressure on housing and essential services in the UK. A Government source said he should have “chosen his words better” in an effort to head off a row about the comments which echoed provocative comments in the 1970s by Margaret Thatcher.
David Cameron will face questions from MPs later about his Government's increasingly fraught relationship with Europe following Brussels' shock demand for an extra £1.7 billion from the British taxpayer. However, Mr Fallon today stood by the substance of his remarks, while acknowledging he had been remiss in his choice of language.
The Prime Minister is also likely to be asked about his approach to tackling immigration within the EU after Mr Fallon was effectively slapped down by Number 10 yesterday. “I was a bit careless with my words, I accept that,” he told Sky News.
Under pressure from Ukip, and with a crunch by-election looming in the Rochester and Strood constituency, Mr Fallon had significantly ramped up Tory rhetoric on the sensitive issue with his warning that some areas felt “under siege” and action was needed “to prevent whole towns and communities being swamped by huge numbers of migrant workers”. “But, yes, there is pressure now, there are a large number of people coming here from the rest of Europe. This is one of the more successful economies in Europe and there is pressure as a result of that migration on social services, on housing, on school places for example.”
He told Sky News that the 50-year-old treaty establishing the EU “did not envisage these vast movements of people”. The Defence Secretary’s original comments came in support of David Cameron, who has demanded radical change on the movement of migrant workers within the EU, but has run into opposition from the German chancellor Angela Merkel.
Margaret Thatcher was accused in 1978 of playing on racial prejudice when she said people feared being “swamped” by Asian immigrants, comments that propelled immigration up the agenda of the following year’s general election. He said: “The Germans haven’t seen our proposal yet, and we haven’t seen our proposal yet. That is still being worked on at the moment to see what we can do to prevent whole towns and communities being swamped by huge numbers of migrant workers.
Labour's Keith Vaz, chairman of the influential Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said Mr Fallon's original comments had been “nasty, inappropriate and wrong”. “In some areas, particularly on the east coast, yes, towns do feel under siege from large numbers of migrant workers and people claiming benefits. It is quite right that we look at that.”
A Government source said the Defence Secretary should have “chosen his words better” as Downing Street sought to calm the situation following Mr Fallon's comments. He told Sky News that the 50-year-old treaty which established the EU “did not envisage these vast movements of people”.
But the minister stood by the substance of his remarks as he acknowledged he had been careless in his choice of language. Labour's Keith Vaz, the chairman of the influential Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said Mr Fallon’s original comments had been “nasty, inappropriate and wrong”.
Mr Fallon told Sky News: “I was a bit careless with my words, I accept that. But, yes, there is pressure now, there are a large number of people coming here from the rest of Europe - this is one of the more successful economies in Europe and there is pressure as a result of that migration on social services, on housing, on school places for example. Margaret Thatcher was accused in 1978 of pandering to racial prejudice when she said people feared being “swamped” by Asian immigrants, comments that propelled immigration up the agenda of the following year’s general election.
“That's what the Prime Minister will be addressing when he puts forward his proposals for some kind of control.”
Additional reporting by PA