I Storbritannien blir invandringen en valfråga, genom att det konservativa partiet, lett av Michael Howard tar strid.
Howard har själv judisk bakgrund och är son till en invandrare. Han menar att förespråkande av en begränsning av invandringen ligger även i invandrares intresse. Det är inte "rasism" att arbeta för en bättre kontroll, det är "sunt förnuft". Överallt, när Howard reser runt i England, möts han av samma fråga: varför kan vi inte få kontroll över invandringen?
"Det är uppenbart för envar att en okontrollerad invandring gör den offentliga servicen i vissa områden ansträngd ", säger Howard. "För första gången på många år är vi nu i ett läge då vi kan återställa principen att folkets prioriteringar ska sättas främst."
Ur tidningen Telegraph, den 11/4 -05:
"HOWARD STANS FIRM IN MIGRANTS STORM
Labour and the Liberal Democrats attempted to paint Michael Howard as an extreme Right-winger on immigration yesterday amid signs that his policy is winning widespread support.
In what appeared to be a co-ordinated ploy, the two parties accused the Conservative leader of crudely exploiting the issue in order to boost the Tories' chances on May 5.
Last night evidence of a Tory surge was confirmed when a Gov poll for The Daily Telegraph put Labour and the Conservatives neck and neck on 36 per cent. The Liberal Democrats are on 20 per cent and other parties eight per cent."
"As he prepared for the launch today of the Tory election manifesto, Mr Howard denied his plans for an annual limit on immigration - to be set by Parliament - and a quota for asylum seekers were 'racist'.
'It is not racist to want to limit the numbers. It is just plain common sense,' he said."
"His party had, he said, made a 'great start' to the campaign. 'For the first time in many years, we're now in a position to restore principle to government, to stand up for common sense and to put the people's priorities first,' he told an audience inTelford.
Mr Howard, himself from a Jewish immigrant family, said Britain had benefited greatly from immigration down the years 'both culturally and economically'. Many of those who had settled here were a 'credit to our community'.
But the Government had allowed the numbers to run out of control, with the annual total having tripled to 150,000 since Mr Blair came to power. The hospitality of the British people was being 'abused'.
'It is obvious to everyone that uncontrolled immigration is putting strain on our public services in some areas,'he said."
Ur Telegraph, den 10/4 -05:
"I will curb immigration and put right Labour's failures, says Howard
Michael Howard will pledge today to reduce substantially the number of immigrants coming to Britain as he puts the issue centre stage of the Conservatives' general election campaign.
In his first major set-piece speech to voters since the election was declared, the Tory leader will attack Labour's failure to 'get a grip' on immigration and challenge those who say it is a no-go area for political debate."
"...reject the Labour charge that he has betrayed his immigrant roots by taking such a hard line.
"They wrongly assume that people from immigrant families can have no possible interest in wanting to see immigration controlled. But I've lost count of the times that British people from ethnic backgrounds have told me that firm but fair immigration controls are essential for good relations.'"
"Mr Howard will declare that, as the son of an immigrant, he feels no shame in tackling the issue head on. 'We all pay taxes,' he will say. 'We're all entitled to expect fair play.'"
"Mr Howard will tell an audience in Telford that he will not 'pussyfoot' around the issue of immigration. 'As I travel round Britain, time and time again I hear one question,' he will say. 'Talk to people and whatever their background, religion or the colour of their skin, they ask the same thing: 'Why can't we get a grip on immigration?' "
Ur Göteborgs-Posten, den 11/4 -05:
"TORIES ANKLAGAS FÖR SMYGRASISM
De konservativa Tories blev på måndagen först ut bland de stora brittiska partierna att lägga fram sitt manifest inför valet om drygt tre veckor."
"Högermanifestet är på bara 32 sidor "eftersom vi vill att folk ska läsa det", och har fem huvudpunkter: renare sjukhus, lägre skatter, disciplin i skolorna, kontrollerad invandring samt (politisk) ansvarsfullhet.
I särklass mest uppmärksamhet har invandringsvinkeln väckt, särskilt som mycket tyder på att Tories flörtande med invandrarfientliga krafter den senaste tiden betalat sig i opinionsmätningarna."
Tidningen "The Independent" ger enligt GP denna kommentar:
"Regeringen har knappast ansträngt sig för att tydliggöra skillnaden mellan asylsökare och migranter. Och den har gjort nästan ingenting för att visa på de många fördelar Storbritannien har av invandringen".
Toryledaren Howard:
"Den enkla poängen är att man inte kan, i ekonomi, spendera mer, beskatta mindre och låna mindre - allt på samma gång.
