Defence secretary Michael Fallon
BRITAIN’s defence secretary said this week he had been careless when he spoke of towns being “swamped” by immigrants.
Michael Fallon said this weekend that the government was considering curbing the number of EU citizens allowed to work in Britain in order “to prevent whole towns and communities being swamped by huge numbers of migrants”. He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show that parts of the country felt “under siege” from migrant workers.
But political rivals accused him of using irresponsible language to get his governing Conservative Party re-elected next year.
Labour’s Keith Vaz, chairman of the influential Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said Mr Fallon’s original comments had been “nasty, inappropriate and wrong”.
Analysts said “swamped” was an emotive word to use because it was uttered by former Conservative leader Margaret Thatcher in 1978 when she wanted to cut immigration from former British colonies.
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury
WELBY’S CRITICISM
The comments were indirectly criticised by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who said: “We can’t overburden communities, we have to be realistic about that.
“But at the heart of Christian teaching about the human being is that all human beings are of absolutely equal and infinite value and the language we use must reflect the value of the human being and not treat immigration as a deep menace that is somehow going to overwhelm a country that has coped with many waves of immigration and has usually done so with enormous success.
“It is part of the strength and brilliance of this country that we are so good at this, and I would hate to see us lose that.”
FALLON: I WAS A BIT CARELESS
Mr Fallon later said he stood by the substance of his remarked but added on Sky News: “I was a bit careless with my words, I accept that.
“But, yes, there is pressure now, there are a large number of people coming here from the rest of Europe – this is one of the more successful economies in Europe and there is pressure as a result of that migration on social services, on housing, on school places for example.
“That’s what the Prime Minister will be addressing when he puts forward his proposals for some kind of control.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman added: “It is right to take care in the language that is used.”
BLUNKETT’S SUPPORT
But Mr Fallon was not universally panned. Former Labour Home Secretary David Blunkett wrote in the Daily Mail that “for all such condemnation, I believe that both Michael Fallon and I were right to speak out on this issue and voice the concerns of ordinary voters.
“Just because immigration is deeply controversial, that cannot mean that we should avoid talking about it.”
He added: “What we need from all politicians is honesty and openness, not a desire for political point-scoring or displays of self-righteous importance.”
