Wrong numbers
From Sir Andrew Green Sir: In a radio discussion this week you expressed great surprise at the hostility of your readers to the account of an interview with me on immigration (Green's pleasant land', 6 March).
I am not in the least surprised. Apart from its sneering tone, the article sought to lampoon a very serious argument on a matter of crucial importance to our future. It even managed to get the basic facts wrong, confusing net foreign immigration, now running at 245,000 a year, with net total immigration (after subtracting the British who leave) of about 160,000 a year.
Worse, perhaps, the article implied that Migrationwatch was helping the BNP. This is a smear unworthy of The Spectator. In our view, the only way to counter extremists is to be frank about the facts, to tackle the policy failures and to take the issues away from them.
Finally, my reported 'dislike of Chinese' was clearly intended to leave a negative impression. In fact, it was in the context of a nearby Chinese restaurant and referred to the food, not the people, for whom I have a considerable respect and liking.
A.F. Green
Chairman, Migrationwatch UK, London SW1
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