NO ROOM TO THE RIGHT:

Opposition to immigrants hardens under Blair: Liberal intelligentsia want more curbs (John Carvel, December 7, 2004, The Guardian)

Opposition to further immigration into Britain has hardened since Tony Blair came to power, particularly among graduates and Labour supporters with the most liberal attitudes on other social issues.

Research published today by the National Centre for Social Research in the 21st annual British social attitudes survey shows the proportion wanting the number of immigrants to be curbed increased from two-thirds in 1995 to three-quarters last year.

It blamed increasingly hardline statements on asylum from Home Office ministers for fuelling more hostile sentiments about all immigrants.

It said the line became even tougher when David Blunkett took over as home secretary and started telling immigrants how he wanted them to behave, including speaking English in their own homes and abandoning the practice of making arranged marriages in their country of origin.

A report by Lauren McLaren of Nottingham university and Mark Johnson, co-director of the attitudes survey, said: "The traditional acceptance of multicultural practices in Britain seemed to come under sustained direct attack from the Labour government, aided and abetted by the Conservative opposition.

You have to figure Mr. Blair will come out foursquare against the EU before the Tories too.

Posted by Orrin Judd at December 6, 2004 11:47 PM