ALLISTER SPEAKS OUT ON IMMIGRATION
06 July 2006
During a debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on immigration, Ulster MEP, Jim Allister raised concerns about immigration policy passing to EU control and the actions of other Member States, for example, Spain, in "regularising" the status of illegal immigrants, thereby bestowing on them rights of free movement within the EU. This practice of "regularisation" by others has the capacity to impose immigration over a nation's head, warned the MEP.
In the course of his remarks Mr Allister said:-
"Sustained immigration is a fact for many Member States and when managed has aided economic output, though it would be foolish to deny that problems can ensue. I take this opportunity to unreservedly condemn recent racist attacks in my constituency. Decent people want no part of such deplorable behaviour.
I have three points to make.
1. The control of immigration policy is properly a national issue and should not become an EU competence, otherwise national governments could not exercise necessary controls.
2. It is imperative that immigrants integrate and do not become a debilitating "state within a state". Hence, in the UK I support Chancellor Gordon Brown's calls for a willingness and procedures to embrace "Britishness".
3. With 3 Million illegal immigrants in the EU this issue must be robustly tackled, not least because of the links to the odious practice of human trafficking. It is not acceptable for some countries to engage in so called "regularisation" of their illegal immigrants and thereby qualify them for free movement into other Member States."
