Has twitching in random directions taken the place of political leadership? Why do politicians say such silly things when speaking about immigration and free movement? Are they less concerned about immigration in general, and maybe more concerned about immigration by “the wrong sort of immigrants“?
Lord Tebbit is quoted in ‘The Telegraph’ as saying:
“Well one test I would use is to ask [EU immigrants] on which side their fathers or grandfathers or whatever fought in the Second World War. And so you’ll find that the Poles and the Czechs and the Slovaks were all on the right side. And so that’s a pretty good test isn’t it?”
Boris Johnson, who is quoted in ‘The Australian’, regrets that access to the UK is not easier for Australians and Kiwis:
“The feelings about immigration in Britain and much of Europe are very difficult at the moment. But it’s crazy.
“We’re restraining numbers from Australia and New Zealand whilst we have absolutely unlimited access from 27 European countries.
“It just seems so peculiar to me. We fought together in two world wars. There’s huge cultural affinities, ties of blood relations, God knows what. I just think it’s bizarre … It has not been a great policy, in my view.”
“I’d like to see basically the same freedoms Europeans enjoy given to Australians and New Zealanders”
freedom of movement in the EU 