Howard criticises Labour's immigration policy

Conservative leader, Michael Howard, has criticised Labour's immigration policy in a speech in Kent.

Speaking to a meeting of Conservative Parliamentary Candidates and MPs, Mr Howard said that £3 billion pounds has been spent on asylum since Labour came to power, the equivalent to almost £140 per household in England. Mr Howard said: "That is the price that we are paying for a system that is in chaos, overseen by a Prime Minister who has run out of ideas about how to fix it."

The Conservative leader accused the government of "turning a blind eye" to the abuse of the asylum system and criticised the current system as being inhumane. He said: "It is not humane to make desperate people prey to unscrupulous and illegal trafficking gangs. Abuse of the system keeps the abhorrent trade in people smuggling alive."

The Conservatives immigration policy, which recommends placing annual limits on the number of refugees allowed into Britain has been heavily criticised by some parties as racist. The Refugee Council said that the policy would put lives in danger.

However, Mr Howard defended the Conservatives immigration policy, saying: "For too long, people have felt unable to talk about their proper and legitimate concerns. Why? Because they are frightened they will be accused of being racists. Well, I have a simple message: it's not racist to talk about immigration and not racist to criticise the system. And it's not racist to impose limits on immigration."

(KMcA/SP)