'Rattled' Blair to set tough tests for migrants

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Tony Blair will try today to recapture ground lost to the Tories on immigration by announcing plans to turn away people who do not bring economic benefits or professional skills to the country.

The Prime Minister and Charles Clarke, the Home Secretary, will announce the tough new tests for would-be immigrants from outside the EU as part of a five-year-plan to bring immigration under control...

Labour's response reflects Mr Blair's worry that the party could lose millions of votes to the Tories unless it addresses public concern about spiralling immigration and the pressure on public services.

Opinion polls confirmed yesterday that the issue will be uppermost in voters' minds at the election, which is expected on May 5.

A YouGov poll for The Mail on Sunday found that 75 per cent of people thought Labour's policies on asylum were not tough enough. A poll for the Migrationwatch think-tank found that 45 per cent of voters would be influenced at the election by the parties' immigration policies...

Immigration_euro · Mon, 02/07/2005 - 09:42 · · Importance: 1