Don Flynn claims that I argued “that support for the right of migrants to freedom of movement is the same as support for the free movement of capital”. Readers of my article can see that I said no such thing. It is possible to support one and not the other. Armed with this confusion he […]
Posts under ‘Migration/Immigration’
A Spectacular Own Goal?
Sep 13th, 2017 by David Pavett.A new group called the Labour Campaign for Free Movement has been launched. It says that thousands have already signed up to its campaign statement. It is also clearly hoping that the model resolution it has circulated will make it through to annual conference. An article by Hugh Lanning on Labour List puts the campaign’s […]
What’s in the NPF draft policy statements?
Mar 24th, 2017 by David Pavett.According to the Labour Party Rulebook: “Party conference shall decide from time to time what specific proposals of legislative, financial or administrative reform shall be included in the Party programme. This shall be based on the rolling programme of work of the National Policy Forum.” (Emphasis added) The results of that “rolling programme of work” […]
Trump exempts British citizens from “Muslim ban” after pressure from UK
Jan 30th, 2017 by Newsdesk.Donald Trump conceded ground to opposition last night by exempting British dual citizens from his Executive Order, dubbed by many as a ‘Muslim ban’, which prohibits any entry to the United States from seven majority-muslim countries, namely, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Libya. After Theresa May instructed Amber Rudd and Boris Johnson to lobby their US […]
Free movement: Labour’s great non-debate
Dec 16th, 2016 by David Pavett.Nothing illustrates better the ideological and policy differences at all levels of the Labour Party than the contradictory opinions being offered on the issue of free movement. The Shadow Home Secretary (Diane Abbott) says free movement is essential. She has even said “Ending free movement has become a synonym for anti-immigrant racism”. The Shadow Brexit […]
Win for Labour as rise in immigration tribunal fees scrapped
Nov 28th, 2016 by Newsdesk.Labour celebrated an important victory on Friday, as the Conservative government took another U-turn by scrapping their proposal to increase immigration tribunal fees by up to 500%. This comes after campaigning by the Labour Party, and overwhelming public opposition to a government consultation on the subject. Fees for a tribunal to deal with asylum or […]
The “right to free movement”
Nov 10th, 2016 by David Pavett.There have been recent signs of a change of tone in the Labour leadership on the question of freedom of movement. Some have opposed any sort of controls but in recent months John McDonnell has spoken of “managed migration” and Keir Starmer has said that when it comes to freedom of movement within the single […]
A left approach to Brexit
Oct 26th, 2016 by Peter Rowlands.Paul Mason and Chuka Umunna would normally be expected to come up with radically different proposals with regard to Labour’s policies, yet they are putting forward more or less the same solutions to the most pressing problem underlying Brexit, that of Free Movement of Labour (FML), Mason in an article in the New Statesman, Umunna in […]
Corbyn is right: Migrants don’t drive down wages
Oct 18th, 2016 by Tom O Leary.In his recent speech to Labour Party conference Jeremy Corbyn said, “It isn’t migrants that drive down wages, it’s exploitative employers and the politicians who deregulate the labour market and rip up trade union rights.” This is excellent and entirely correct. It is probably the best statement ever made by a Labour leader on this […]
Corbyn sets out opposition to immigration controls
Oct 11th, 2016 by Newsdesk.Jeremy Corbyn has made further comments in support of immigration, in particular support for refugees, contrasting those in the party who want to end freedom of movement after Brexit.