New Labour's open-door immigration policy was criminal

Thanks to the legacy of the time New Labour was in power they’re all believed to be on the run in this country. 

The latest list of Europe’s most wanted was released last week and no fewer than 16 of the most dangerous could be hiding in Britain. It’s thought they’ve managed to sneak over the border and are now living “under the radar” using aliases and doing cash-in-hand jobs such as labouring and gardening. 

Among them is one who should be serving 20 years in his native Romania for beating a man to death in a club with a baseball bat. He’s thought to be in North London. 

A Lithuanian drug dealer is believed to be in Luton. 

Another, from Latvia, was part of a gang who raped and beat a woman. He might be in Croydon. 

These are just a depraved drop in the mighty ocean of immigrants who were allowed to flood into the country between 1997 and 2010 when Labour was last in power. 

Figures released last week showed the influx of foreigners over those years was at the rate of one a minute. It was four times higher than the previous 13 years put together, totalled 7.2 million and is equivalent to the population of the five largest cities in the land outside London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Glasgow and Bradford. 

By the way, they’re the ones we know about. These figures don’t even account for those who have arrived illegally. 

No country on Earth could possibly cope with such an influx and, sadly, if you visit some inner-city schools or hospitals or study the housing lists you’ll see how this country hasn’t. 

The think-tank Migration Watch produced this report and states: “The New Labour years were characterised by a change in culture that was not shared by the public.” 

They’ve got that spot on too. Any debate on the issue was stifled and anyone daring to complain or even express anxiety was deemed a racist or patronised as a Little Englander. 

Since when was worrying about the provision of healthcare, or crowded schools or lack of housing racist? 

Shamefully the Left-leaning BBC was eager to trumpet the same internationalist theme and few if any debates were broadcast as it exercised its vice-like grip of censorship. 

Now the parties are desperately jockeying to get themselves heard on immigration as they realise how crucial it will be at the election. 

David Cameron has talked tough but allowed himself to be linked to a “no ifs, no buts” pledge to cap numbers, which is impossible to enforce. 

He cannot control how many of the half-a-billion Europeans who have the right to come to this country will choose to do so. Nor can he control the number of Britons who choose to leave. 

Nigel Farage said he would be happy to introduce a cap of 50,000, only to abandon the idea seemingly within hours. 

As for Ed Miliband, he didn’t even mention immigration in a party conference speech last year that was so eminently forgettable he forgot much of it. 

Now we have to pay the price. 

The builder at the end of the road or the gardener working for your neighbour could be one of Europe’s Most Wanted. Makes you feel safe, doesn’t it? 

The main political parties are hoping the stance they adopt can help them win this election. 

They might be right but sadly the ones who definitely won’t win will be us. 

------------------------------- 

THAT tedious supposed comedian who caused a storm by suggesting no one should vote has been at it again. 

I don’t wish to name him as it only encourages the long-haired, scruffy multi-millionaire whose pretence at being a man of the people is as justified as an MP’s expense claim. 

If you think of a comic who is about as funny as genital warts you’ve probably got his identity by now. 

In a warped, partial defence of murderer Mohammed Emwazi, aka Jihadi John, he spoke of the “alienation” and “loneliness” the IS fanatic might have endured. 

He directed people to his bizarre ramblings with the line “Question Everything”. 

You’ve got it, bozo, so here’s a question for you: if you have such sympathy for these folk, why don’t you go over to Raqqa in Syria and see if they laugh at your simpering act? 

-------------------------------

THERE was a time when Sir Richard Branson rode a wave of popularity and regularly topped polls as to who might be a suitable mayor of London or even president of the nation. 

Now he’s given us all the benefit of his views on drug use it seems fair to say we’ve had a lucky escape. 

The Virgin boss said at a conference last week: “Take people taking skunk. It’s slightly worse than alcohol but there are a lot of people doing it for recreational purposes and they enjoy doing it and it’s not doing them any harm.” 

Really? Try telling that to the legion of psychiatrists who are working with psychotic patients who have dabbled with this dangerous drug.

-------------------------------

BEST wishes for a speedy recovery to BBC political editor Nick Robinson, who has been diagnosed with lung cancer. 

Robinson is the undoubted pick of the litter of political reporters and illuminates Westminster with his incisive questioning, humour and talent. 

So, Nick, if you tackle this the same way you do any recalcitrant politician, you’ll be through it in record time. 

Thinking of you, buddy.

-------------------------------

COMMISERATIONS to the genuinely funny and genuinely decent David Walliams, after the news of the break-up of his marriage of less than five years to model Lara Stone. 

It is reported Lara, 31, grew increasingly tired of Walliams, 43, and his camp act, which includes cross-dressing, and flirting on TV with Simon Cowell. 

Admire and laud him for his charity work as I do, can anyone really blame her? 

Let’s sincerely hope he can put away the frocks, drop the Camp David routine and concentrate on being a husband.