Borders bill

Thursday, 25 Jan 2007 08:50

Lib Dems: Govt should tackle immigration incompetence

Friday, 26, Jan 2007 12:00

The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to solve managerial problems in the Home Office, rather than pass new laws to tackle immigration.

The new UK borders bill announced today would give immigration officers greater powers of arrest and automatically deport foreign prisoners who committed serious crimes.

Home affairs spokesman Nick Clegg said: "Whilst some of the measures in this bill are welcome, we are concerned about the government's continuing desire to create new legislation, rather than tackle administrative incompetence.

"There may be a case for adding some new powers to the statue book, but questions remain as to why existing powers - notably against unscrupulous employers of illegal workers – are being so poorly enforced."

The bill's proposals to force non-European foreign residents to have biometric ID cards were "a test-drive for the wider ID card project, rather than an objective response to an immigration problem", Mr Clegg added.

Tories: Action not rhetoric needed on immigration

NO2ID: ID cards won't stop illegal immigration

Lib Dems: Govt should tackle immigration incompetence

Borders bill: Wide range of new powers

Byrne: Borders bill is a radical shake-up

Biometic identity cards will be mandatory for foreign residents

Liberty: ID cards could be racially divisive

IAS: Immigration laws need simplifying

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