Howard (UK tory leader) calls for immigration quotas

[bin.dare]

Michael Howard today put race and immigration at the heart of the Conservatives' election strategy with a pledge to set limits on the number of people coming to Britain.

The Tory leader sought to seize the initiative by unveiling policies to introduce an annual quota and an Australian-style points system. His move appeared to wrong-foot Tony Blair who had spent the day attacking Conservative spending plans in a speech to activists.

Mr Howard moved the pre-election campaign firmly on to the issues of race with a newspaper advertisement proclaiming, "I believe that we must limit immigration. Britain has reached a turning point. Our communities cannot absorb newcomers at today's pace. Immigration must be brought under control. It is essential for good community relations, national security and the management of public services."

...
Meanwhile Mr Blair is reported to have hired a US pollster who urged Bill Clinton to campaign on issues of interest to Republican voters. The Prime Minister is said to have had monthly meetings with Mark Penn, a Washington-based consultant, to help neutralise Conservative appeal.

(more)
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=603795

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. See also UK forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=191x1634

[sweetheart]

2. whaateever

it takes to lose seats... howard is a pro.

[bin.dare]

4. maybe it is nostalgia for Enoch Powel. eom

[AP]

3. The Repulbicans dropped overt racism from the playbook in '96

It's amazing that the Tories keep it in theirs.

Well, it's not so amazing. I guess there are still a few anti-Euro, little Englanders in the UK. But then again, these days Sri and Ahmed are just as much Bulldogs as Johnny, to a lot of Johnnys.

When I think of the sort of person who finds this appealing, I think of a few BNP voters who aren't voting Tory anyway and a couple hundred pensioners who love the queen and who will probably forget to vote on election day.