James Starkie is Founding Partner at communications consultancy 5654 & Co. He worked on Vote Leave in 2016 and was a Special Adviser during Theresa May’s and Boris Johnson’s premierships.
Having worked on Vote Leave and across two Conservative governments as a Special Adviser, I have rarely been called weak when it comes to immigration.
But even I was taken aback by Reform’s recent announcement to revisit existing holders of Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). While the announcement came with several clarifications, as is now typical with much of Reform policy, the gist seems to be the existing status of ILR will be scrapped with an as yet undefined new status introduced, with many losing significant current rights in the process.
Now this is not to say the system is perfect or doesn’t need major reform. However, let’s set out one key principle that should sit at the heart of any system, and indeed sits at the heart of the immigration debate: fairness.
If there is a set of British values, then fairness is surely a core one that we all hold dearly –particularly Conservatives.
Speaking to those conducting focus groups with the public, politicians knocking on doors, and senior people in the country’s newspapers, it’s a comment that comes up time and time again. How can we take away people’s winter fuel payment, cut benefits and put up taxes when we’re spending millions on hotels and benefits for people who have entered the country illegally? It’s just not fair.
How are people able to enter via an illegal route and quickly become entitled to benefits and access to housing? It’s just not fair.
This issue of fairness sits at the heart of the public frustration with current immigration levels and the issue of small boats.
The Prime Minister labelled Reform’s ILR policy racist. This is also wrong.
Trying to shut down valid debate by labelling people racist didn’t work during the referendum and it won’t work now. It also doesn’t make sense – Labour themselves are seeking to toughen immigration policy, as shown by the proposals drawn up under new hardline Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood. Rather than resorting to accusations of racism, Labour should make the case for fairness. Throwing these accusations around will only alienate Starmer further from the public and make him appear like he views any discussion of immigration as inherently racist.
What people want is a fair system: one where you cannot enter the country illegally and enjoy the same access to the NHS and benefits as everyone else. One where people who come here legally make a net contribution to society through hard work and paying tax. One where the rules are followed.
Which brings me back to Reform’s policy. Many of those who would be impacted by the abolishment of ILR have played by the rules, they do contribute and yet now face being removed from the country. That’s just not fair.
This is the attack that should have been deployed by the Labour, and indeed the Conservative Party. Polling by YouGov showed that 58 per cent of the public oppose removing ILR for existing holders, and just 29 per cent support it. When we see the case studies of hard-working nurses, doctors and teachers who hold ILR, I suspect opposition to this terrible policy will grow, not shrink.
If we are to tackle the issue of migration, fairness must be at the centre of it.
A fair immigration system must not only tackle those abusing the system, but reward those who follow the rules. We should be punishing those who come to the UK illegally, we should expect all who enter to contribute, and when they do, they should be treated with respect.
Anything else just isn’t cricket.
