Bruce Anderson

The silent majority is on Mr Howard’s side, but will that help him?

The silent majority is on Mr Howard’s side, but will that help him?

Michael Howard is a Powellite, at least in one respect. Talking about immigration, Enoch Powell said that numbers were of the essence. Mr Howard would agree, although his numerical restrictions would be far less severe.

The Tory leader is really more of a Blairite. ‘Every country must have firm control over immigration and Britain is no exception.’ That is from Labour’s 1997 manifesto; it summarises Mr Howard’s views. ‘We and only we decide border policy and … immigration, asylum and visas … [these policies will be] made in Britain, not in Brussels.’ That was Tony Blair in late 1993, and Michael Howard could not have put it better. His disagreements arise from the PM’s failure to turn deeds into words.

It is easy to make the moral case for restricting immigration. Almost any level of immigration causes social change; on a large scale it can alter the character of urban areas, and of an entire society. Many people — not only the British — prefer to live in settled, stable communities. They remain sceptical of the benefits of immigration. Those benefits do exist; cultural diversity in large cities plus a reinvigorated labour market. But in order to maximise the advantages and minimise the disadvantages, it is necessary to impose strict limits on numbers.

Despite Mr Blair’s assurance, that is not happening. Legal immigration has doubled since 1997, while illegal immigration is out of control. Though the government may be retreating from the policy of allowing pubs to remain open at all times, our borders are open 24/7. When the voters are listening, Tony Blair may talk like the British bulldog. When he thinks that nobody is noticing, his government signs directives giving more and more power to the EU. ‘Made in Britain, not in Brussels.’ No one in Brussels thinks that this now reflects reality.

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