Nick Clegg wades into immigration row
NICK Clegg yesterday risked reopening the coalition’s divisions over immigration policy after distancing himself from David Cameron’s pledge to cut the number of people entering Britain.
The Deputy Prime Minister insisted immigration was “not a numbers game” as he desperately sought to smooth over cracks in the alliance.
It follows comments by Lib Dem colleague Vince Cable who accused Prime Minister David Cameron of making a “very unwise” speech about immigration which risked stoking racist extremism.
Mr Clegg said: “Our immigration policy will lead to a reduction in numbers.
“It is not Government policy to pursue a fixed numerical target.
“The policy of the Government wasn’t changed one iota by the prime minister’s speech, nor for that matter by Vince Cable’s commentary on that speech.
“There’s nothing surprising about politicians of different parties talking about things in different language but nonetheless working together to deliver a fair but firm immigration system in this country.”
Our immigration policy will lead to a reduction in numbers
But critics, including Conservative MPs, interpreted his comments as further inflaming tension in the Government over basic policy.
Last week Mr Cameron called for “good immigration, not mass immigration”.
He reiterated his aim of cutting net immigration from the hundreds of thousands a year seen under Labour to tens of thousands.
A YouGov poll yesterday revealed wide public support for the PM. Nearly three quarters – 73 per cent – said he was right to raise the issue now, while 40 per cent saw no benefit in immigration. Some 88 per cent agreed with him that high numbers had caused “discomfort and disjointedness” in some areas and 93 per cent that immigrants must learn English if they are to stay here permanently.
Mr Clegg insisted the basic policy of having a “fair but firm” immigration policy was agreed by the whole Government. But in terms of Mr Cameron’s speech, he said: “I wouldn’t have used that language.”
Mr Clegg told BBC1’s Politics Show many movements of people could not be controlled, not least from the EU “so I don’t think it’s a numbers game”. The aim of cutting numbers was formulated by the Conservatives in opposition.
Meanwhile, Mr Cable will today join Labour leader Ed Miliband to argue for a Yes vote in the May 5 referendum on how MPs are elected.
Mr Miliband has said he will not share a platform with Mr Clegg because the Lib Dem leader is so unpopular.
Instead he will join the Business Secretary to argue for ditching the current system of electing the person with the most votes.
They want to move to Alternative Vote (AV) where voters rank candidates and second and other preferences are distributed until someone gets half the votes.
Marking a gear shift in the increasingly bitter battle, Mr Cameron will today team up with Labour former Cabinet Minister John Reid to argue against the Lib Dem’s cherished change.
The PM will urge people to listen to their gut instincts, saying his told him that AV is “wrong ... obscure, unfair and expensive”. Analysis shows AV may have denied Margaret Thatcher victory in 1979.
