Sir: One may be a great admirer of Mr Macleod's
and yet feel that Asian immigration from Kenya raises two distinct problems. It is orie thing not to refuse the entry to Britain of individual holders of British passports in Kenya at the time of the pass- ing of the Kenya Independence Bill; it is quite another to sanction a mass exodus of Asians from Kenya to Britain at one particular moment of time. If the Minister concerned did not foresee, and did not intend to sanction, such an exodus it is idle to use emotive phrases about not keeping his word. A man who unintentionally signs a cheque for too large an amount may have payment stopped and, if necessary, seek to have the mistake corrected by a court of law without having his character called in question.
On the other hand, if the Minister foresaw and accepted the possibility of such an exodus it would, have been a reasonable precaution to discover the wishes of the people living in the areas where im- migrants were most likely to settle and to consult the local authorities on whose services they would have to rely. Failure to take into consideration local wishes and local resources is not only undemocratic; it is probably one reason why government from Whitehall is less popular than it ought to be. It is not only right that due weight should be given to these factors by those who in their transient period of power claim to speak for the people of Britain; it is also in the best interests of the immigrants themselves.
John Burns Oxford and Cambridge University Club, Pall Mall, London SW1
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