HOSTILE TERRITORY:

Former Tory attacks party's immigration plans (Tom Happold, April 10, 2005, Guardian Unlimited)

Michael Howard's attempt to refocus the election campaign on the issues of asylum and immigration was undermined today by one of his former ministerial colleagues, Charles Wardle, who described the Tory leader's policies as unworkable and uncosted. [...]

Mr Wardle's comments came as the latest Observer/MORI opinion poll put Labour seven points ahead of the Conservatives, on a comfortable 40%, with the Tories on 33% and the Liberal Democrats on 19%.

With immigration one of the few issues the Tories lead Labour on, Mr Howard has repeatedly sought to make it the centre of his campaigning, accusing Tony Blair today of "pussyfooting" around the problem.

The Tory leader told GMTV's Sunday programme: "Immigration today is out of control and that is a matter of great concern for the future of good community relations in Britain."

Hew added: "We think it is something a government needs to get hold on that's why we would set an annual limit on the number of people who could come in to the country."

The anti-Semitic tenor of the Labour campaign suggests they think they can make hay among Muslim voters, but if immigration becomes the leading issue in the election it can't help them.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 10, 2005 6:05 PM