Plan for migrants to queue-jump
LABOUR ministers are discussing plans to let immigrants jump citizenship queues if they agree to live in Scotland.
The scheme would mean that people already in the UK would get quicker access to British passports – and benefits – if they spend several years north of the border.
But it could also open a back door for increasing the number of people with the right to live permanently in England.
Once UK citizenship had been granted there would be nothing to stop new arrivals heading to immigration hot-spots such as London.
The plans were unveiled yesterday by Scotland Secretary Jim Murphy. They are expected to form part of the new earned route to citizenship which would give new arrivals “passport points” for taking part in voluntary activities or staying clear of the police.
Shadow minister for immigration Damian Green said: “This is completely absurd. Unless the Government proposes to build a new Hadrian’s Wall, it has no control over the movement of people across the border.”