WHAT MAGGIE KNEW:

Blair accuses Tories over immigration (GERRI PEEV , 2/18/05, The Scotsman)

TONY Blair warned Labour campaigners yesterday that the Tories were trying to ratchet immigration up the political agenda to divert attention away from the economy and public services as the parties geared up for the general election.

The Prime Minister accused the Conservatives of trying to seize power "through the back door". [...]

At a briefing with prospective MPs in the party’s new London headquarters, Mr Blair said immigration was a subject that Labour needed to "deal with, not exploit".

He conceded that there were public fears over abuses in the system and that some of the problems were "genuine".

Mr Blair’s tone was more conciliatory than that previously used by ministers when they talked about asylum abuse and announced an Australian-style points system for economic migrants. Immigration is the only subject on which the Tories outscore Labour in opinion polls, but the Prime Minister said Michael Howard, the Conservative leader, was being foolish in "putting all his eggs in the immigration basket".

In other words, it works. However, the Tories don't have sense enough to run as all out nationalists, opposed to Europe and defending traditional English culture.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 18, 2005 7:29 AM