This article is from the source 'bbc' 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.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31722779
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| UKIP's Nigel Farage wants return to immigration 'normality' | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The UK Independence Party (UKIP) will not adopt "arbitrary" immigration targets ahead of the general election, its leader Nigel Farage has said. | |
| The party had said it wanted net migration for workers capped at 50,000. | |
| Mr Farage is to outline a range of measures including an Australian-style points-based visa system. | Mr Farage is to outline a range of measures including an Australian-style points-based visa system. |
| His party would establish a new commission to reduce migration, with priority given to "highly-skilled migrants and our Commonwealth friends". | His party would establish a new commission to reduce migration, with priority given to "highly-skilled migrants and our Commonwealth friends". |
| Cutting immigration is a key plank of UKIP's election pitch. | |
| 'Broken promises' | 'Broken promises' |
| Mr Farage told BBC Radio 4's Today programme UKIP would bring immigration levels "back to normality... normality was what we had from Windrush right up until the year 2000, where we had net migration into Britain... between 20,000 and 50,000 people a year." | |
| He added that since then "we have gone mad, we opened the doors to much of the world but in particular we opened up the doors to 10 former communist countries, and as a result of our EU membership we have absolutely zero control over the numbers who come". | |
| Mr Farage added: "I'm not putting caps or targets... you need to have more flexibility than that. The point is this: we currently have no control over the numbers, we are incapable of debating anything now in politics without caps and targets and I think the British public are bored with it." | |
| He said: "In the end we can talk about numbers, we can talk about money, we can talk about the impact on wages... but in the end there is something about this immigration debate which is about more than money. It's about communities, it's about the country in which we live." | |
| In an article for the Daily Telegraph ahead of a speech on the subject, Mr Farage said: "While politicians and the people they represent determine the direction of travel for this country, we will not, unlike the other parties, seek to set arbitrary targets which only result in broken promises." | In an article for the Daily Telegraph ahead of a speech on the subject, Mr Farage said: "While politicians and the people they represent determine the direction of travel for this country, we will not, unlike the other parties, seek to set arbitrary targets which only result in broken promises." |
| In 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron promised to reduce net migration - currently 298,000 - to below 100,000. | In 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron promised to reduce net migration - currently 298,000 - to below 100,000. |
| Opinion polls | Opinion polls |
| The Conservatives have since said the target was "blown off course" by migration from within the EU and restrictions on policy imposed by their Lib Dem coalition partners. | |
| Chancellor George Osborne said the party was right to be keeping the "tens of thousands" target for the future. | |
| But asked about Mr Farage's comments, Mr Osborne told Today that Mr Farage seemed to be "making it up as he goes along", talking about a cap and then dropping it "live on air". | |
| UKIP's immigration spokesman Steven Woolfe told the BBC's Daily Politics last month 50,000 was a "gross" target, relating to "those who have the right to work with the option for permanent residence here". | |
| In his speech, Mr Farage, whose party wants the UK to quit the European Union, will promise to reduce "low-skilled, Eastern European migration" and say UKIP would treat EU and non-EU migrants in the same way, with qualifying workers issued with a visa valid for five years. | In his speech, Mr Farage, whose party wants the UK to quit the European Union, will promise to reduce "low-skilled, Eastern European migration" and say UKIP would treat EU and non-EU migrants in the same way, with qualifying workers issued with a visa valid for five years. |
| The party also says it would recruit an extra 2,500 border staff. | The party also says it would recruit an extra 2,500 border staff. |
| "Despite Mr Cameron's pledge, net migration is now up to 300,000 people per year. It is unsustainable, unfair and unethical," Mr Farage will say. | "Despite Mr Cameron's pledge, net migration is now up to 300,000 people per year. It is unsustainable, unfair and unethical," Mr Farage will say. |
| UKIP said opinion polls consistently showed immigration to be among the public's top concerns. | UKIP said opinion polls consistently showed immigration to be among the public's top concerns. |
| Mr Cameron has said he would put the issue at the heart of negotiations over Britain's relationship with the EU ahead of an in/out referendum. | Mr Cameron has said he would put the issue at the heart of negotiations over Britain's relationship with the EU ahead of an in/out referendum. |
| He plans a crackdown on migrants' rights to welfare payments in order to reduce the "incentive" to come to the UK. | He plans a crackdown on migrants' rights to welfare payments in order to reduce the "incentive" to come to the UK. |
| Labour has promised to "control immigration fairly", including plans to stop cheap foreign workers replacing British staff. | Labour has promised to "control immigration fairly", including plans to stop cheap foreign workers replacing British staff. |
| It would also recruit an extra 1,000 border staff, while the Lib Dems would reintroduce exit checks at borders. |