« The Big Intervention - Update | Main | Iraq »
June 17, 2004
Immigration
The National Audit Office today reported on Visa Entry to the UK and it should make for unsettling reading at the Home Office. In spite of all th spin and bluster; in spite of attempts to downplay the fiasco by using phrases such as insufficiently robust; in spite of persistant denials even after Beverley Hughes resignation; in spite of attempts to portray anyone wishing to discuss weaknesses in the immigration system as racist; in spite of all this the Home Office overruled UKvisas in 90% of applications from Romania and Bulgaria. The report is critical of the Home Office's failure to communicate adequately, such that in many cases where it over-ruled UKvisas, no explanation was given, but instead a basic "issue the visa" letter was sent.As for Blunkett, well the report from the NAO does nothing to improve perception of his role in the whole sorry mess. The NAO report does effectively refute the claim that the Home Office were simply waving immigrants through in an effort to fiddle the figures. And the Sutton Report, while admiting that there were abuses also states that ministers were not aware of them. Which is pretty damning for Blunkett as the only remaining conclusion is that system was out of control and ministers were totally unaware.
The bottom line is that the emotive nature of immigration is going to make the definition and implementation of sensible policy a challenge, but that is not an excuse for poor communication, incompetence and dishonesty from department heads and ministers. And dishonesty is an accusation that Blunkett will find hard to avoid. Suspicion continues that Blunkett misled MPs and neither the NAO report nor the Sutton findings do anything to either confirm or refute such allegations. We may never know just how much (or little) the Home Secretary knew, but if evidence ever comes to light showing that he was aware of the scale of problems, then he may wish he'd resigned at the same time as Ms Hughes.
--------
Posted by Clive on June 17, 2004 12:31 PM in the category Old Stuff