Tory immigrant plan will hit N.Z., Aust.

Press, 12 April 1978, Page 6

Tory immigrant plan will hit N.Z., Aust.

! NZPA Staff correspondent London White immigrants from old Commonwealth nations such as New Zealand could be hit hardest by Conservative Party proposals I specifically aimed at sharply cutting the inflow of Asian and Caribbean immigrants. Commentators analysing the Conservative Party proposals released at the weekend have said the plan, if implemented by a future, Conservative Government, marked the end of the party’s historical links with' the old Empire. This was accepted by a spokesman for the party, who told the NZPA yesterdav: “This is fair comment. Any possible connection with the Empire disappeared a long time ago. “Our feeling would be that as regards the old Commonwealth, most people are going in the opposite direct-

lion, anyway, and leaving I Britain for such places as ;New Zealand and Australia.” Reacting to suggestions that immigrants from the old Commonwealth of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand could be more disadvantaged than those from Hndia, Pakistan, and the i West Indies, the spokesman (said: “That could be so, Our policy would seek to treat jail immigrants equally, regardless of their colour.” The new policy, which 'was unveiled before the 'Conservative Party’s central committee on Friday, pledges a register of all those on the Indian sub-con-tinent who are entitled to immigrate to Britain because they have close relatives al-; ready living here. This; ‘would be followed by a; | quota applying to all coun- | tries outside the E.E.C. al-i ! though it is admittedly;

aimed at the Asians arriving from the Indian sub-conti-nent. The right of male fiances to enter Britain to marry would be ended; a Conservative Government would give priority to the enactment of a nationality bill defining British citizenship and the right of residence; and the right of foreigners to work in the United Kingdom would also be curtailed. But while the plan is generally accepted as being primarily aimed at coloured ; immigration, Peter Kellner, I writing in the . “Sunday [Times,” said it would lead to la sharp reduction in white I immigration “entailing delineate negotiations with some [of Britain’s allies and oldest 'Commonwealth friends.” ; Whether there would be [an equally severe cutback in ' black immigration depended ion the type of quotas which

would eventually be introduced by the Conservatives but that has not been explained by the Conservative spokesman on home affairs, Mr William Whitelaw. Figures published last Thursday showed that 25,000 “white” immigrants from the bld Commonwealth and other non-E.E.C. countries (excluding Pakistan) had been allowed to settle in 'Britain last year. i “Applying Whitelaw’s [rules,” Kellner wrote, “up to 113,000 of these might have I been formally disqualified 'from settling. ’ ; “These include 1800 from 'the United States, and 1300 [from New Zealand and Australia. At the same time, 44,000 ‘black’ immigrants, I from new Commonwealth ! countries, were allowed to Isettle here. Applying the isame analysis of Con-

servative policy to this group, fewer than 6000 would have been disqualified.” Of male, fiances, who are allowed entry but may gain permanent residence only when they marry, Kellner said 2100 husbands had been allowed to settle last year from Pakistan and the new Commonwealth, compared with 2800 from other countries. The latter classification included 500 from the United States, and 660 from Australia and New Zealand. The Conservative pledge Ito “severely restrict *he I conditions under which anyone from overseas can come land work here” would also 'apply more to those from [outside Pakistan and the 'new Commonwealth. Only |7OO from those nations met 'the criteria last year, compared with 6000 from other countries.

I The new policy was I praised by the conservative “Daily Telegraph” newsI paper which said no-one "without rank hypocrisy” could hold that it constituted a racist manifesto or involved the wholesale withdrawal of legitimate expectations. But it was sharply criticised by the liberal “Guardian” which said the package "reeked” of electoral politics. "Every possible toughsounding proposal has been dredged up, but several of I them can be there only for show rather than substance.” For once, the paper said, a [British Government had refused to panic over immigration, and Labour’s stance yas “sane and sensible.” Left untouched, the existing regulations would ensure that immigration continued Ito fall. A more serious issue was that of race relations iwithin Britain.