Yes, Let’s Talk About Immigration

Of all the great mysteries of modern British politics the notion that no-one is permitted to talk about immigration must surely be one of the most remarkable. After all, as this excellent, persuasive, post at the Enemies of Reason makes clear  there are plenty of people and plenty of newspapers that never shut up about immigration. And they tend to view it as a bad, even wicked, thing.

Indeed one could go further. The people from whom one rarely hears are those that, generally speaking, think that immigration is a good, not a pernicious, thing. Heck, consider the political parties: Labour talk about “getting tough” about immigration and “cracking down” upon it while the Tories want to put a “cap” on the number of foreigners permitted entry into the United Kingdom each year.

Now you may say that this is mere rhetoric unmatched by actions (in Labour’s case) and, perhaps, unlikely to be matched by future actions (in the event of a Conservative government) and, yes, perhaps you might have a point.