THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK WRITTEN BY JOHN, LORD TAYLOR OF WARWICK
“N
o Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs”. That was the sign in
to reduce net immigration down to the “tens of thousands” and
many windows in Birmingham 1950, when my father
certainly below 100,000. However this is becoming increasingly
was looking for accommodation. Rooms that were
difficult to meet. Net immigration rose by 30% to 212,000 in the 12
advertised for rent had somehow “just been taken,” shortly before he
months to September 2013. The Government has few ways of cutting
knocked on the front door of that particular address. When he was
immigration. Nationals of other European Union countries have the
growing up in Jamaica, he had thought of Britain as the motherland.
right to move here freely, while asylum seekers are protected by the
Then after fighting for the British Army in the Second World War,
Human Rights Act. Of course there need to be strict rules dealing
he was shocked to be asked “When are you going back home to the
with illegal immigrants, but the effect of the current Immigration Bill,
Caribbean?,” when he came to England to live. But scoring a century
now going through parliament, is that it unfairly targets academics,
for Warwickshire County Cricket Club changed him overnight from
business people, students and other high flyers from outside the EU.
being described in the local Sports Argus as “Jamaican Immigrant” to
But the net migration reduction targets are not only undeliverable,
“local Brummie hero!”
but damaging to the British economy. As a former Immigration Judge,
Fast forward to August 2012. Instead of racist signs in windows, millions of British TV viewers and thousands in the Olympic Stadium
I also know from experience that Immigration court cases and appeals can be costly and can drag on for years.
were chanting “Go Mo, Go Mo!” as a Somali immigrant named Mo
From January of this year the visa restrictions on Bulgarians and
Farah ran to double Olympic Gold. But what was also significant
Romanians coming to Britain were lifted. But whilst EU Immigration
about the man from Mogadishu was that he was wearing a British
rules have been relaxed, those concerning outside Europe are
vest. Today many of Britain’s high achievers in public life, business,
being tightened. This is having an unfair effect on those from the
entertainment and sport are from immigrant backgrounds. Two
Commonwealth and African countries. No non-EU spouse can join
centuries ago Britain became Great by colonising other parts of the
you unless you earn a minimum of £18,600 per year. This increases
world. Now the Empire is coming home.
to £22,400 for any family with a child and an extra £2,400 for each
The two largest parties in Britain, Conservative and Labour,
additional child. Up to the end of 2012, parents and grandparents
seem currently determined to outdo each other in tough rhetoric
of any UK citizen could come here after the age of 65. Now they
on immigration. I have no doubt this is being egged on by the rising
can only join their family if they need “long-term personal care to
popularity of UKIP (United Kingdom Independence Party) in the polls.
perform everyday tasks, such as washing and cooking” that is not
An atmosphere has been created that Britain is fundamentally hostile
available in their own country. The National Health Service has
to those not born here. With the European elections in May and the
already lost some highly skilled foreign doctors, from Commonwealth
next General Election about 14 months away, this anti-immigrant
and African countries, because they have had to return overseas to
rhetoric is more about politics than policy.
care for elderly relatives. The further effect of these rules on non-EU
The Conservatives in the Coalition Government have a target
12 | Endeavour Magazine
immigrants is that children, including British children and babies, are