08/10/2006
Yesterday Peter Brimelow pointed out that Labour MP Frank Field called for a dramatic reconsideration of Britain’s immigration policy. A little background is important here for VDARE.COM readers. First, Party discipline in the UK is quite a bit more strict than in the US. Critics of parliamentary systems like that in the UK complain that party members virtually walk in lockstep. Secondly Field is not just any MP. From his Wikipedia biographyFollowing the 1997 election, with Labour in power, Field joined the government of Tony Blair as the Minister of Welfare Reform at the Department of Social Security with the rank of Minister of State. Widely regarded as one of the most intelligent Labour MPs as evidenced by his performances at select committees and a solid performer in the media during the 1980s and 1990s he was given the task of 'thinking the unthinkable' in terms of social security reform.
Field is a senior Labour MP with a substantial background in addressing poverty — and has authored literally dozens of publications. It appears quite likely that Field once again has been assigned the job of thinking the unthinkable-this time in the area of immigration policy.
This is potentially quite important for us in the US. The UK has frequently adopted major legislation well before the US. If the UK restricts immigration successfully, there would be enormous pressure to do so in the US. In the UK, the Conservative Party has already called for restriction of immigration — as have several smaller parties like the BNP. Together those parties calling for immigration got the majority of popular votes in the last EU elections-which are conducted by proportional representation.
When we see the Labour Party openly weighing in with that mix, it means immigration restriction — and an entirely new political consensus on immigration- will almost be certainly coming to the UK very soon.
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