8 SEPTEMBER 2001, Page 31

Jobs for asylum-seekers

From Mr R. Reed Sir: Why is it that politicians from David Blunkett to Ann Widdecombe all agree that the genuine asylum-seeker should be allowed to stay, yet all economic migrants should be sent home? There are hospitals, hotels, factories, call-centres, builders, cleaning companies crying out for employment right across the South-east. One thing everyone agrees on is that these migrants do want to work. Let them! Why is the government unable to recognise this?

Let's introduce a system which allows migrants to work and live in this country, with or without full access to benefits — maybe a system of visas could be put in place. Most economic migrants don't want to start a new life, but they want to send money home to their families and return there after a few years. We have jobs, they need money; this makes basic economic and humanitarian sense. Unless the government addresses the key issues of asylum, there is the possibility that it will allow the crude arguments of the BNP to mirror its own.

Robert Reed

RReed@cmp-europe.com