Dialectical Materialism and Faith
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OCT/NOV 2010 ISSUE COVER STORY CAPPING IMMIGRATION TO THE UK If the reduction of net immigration to the UK is to be maintained as an explicit policy objective, it would make more sense to think about a target than a cap. Institute for Public Policy Research Background migration voices (such as Migration Watch and the Cross- Tier 2 do, and must work for that employer. he government faces an unpalatable choice, between Party Group on Balanced Migration) would like to see net Tier 1 currently has four routes. Tintroducing a policy that it knows is damaging to the immigration to the UK brought down even further, to The general route is for persons who wish to obtain economy and public services or finding a way to abandon or around 40,000. The Conservative Party has intimated its highly skilled employment in the UK. Unlike ‘sponsored’ re-define its currently stated policy objectives. support for reductions to this kind of level in the past. skilled workers (who are covered by Tier 2 of the PBS), If the reduction of net immigration to the UK is to be The Home Secretary set out a ‘comprehensive package’ applicants do not need a job offer to apply under the Tier maintained as an explicit policy objective, it would make of proposals to achieve this overall objective: 1 General route. Applicants are awarded points based on more sense to think about a target than a cap. This would be • A cap on skilled immigration for work from outside the qualifications, previous earnings, UK experience, age, a very different approach. Rather than limiting immigration EU, along with changes to Tiers 1 and 2 of the existing English language skills and available maintenance funds. numbers by fiat in certain categories, a target-based approach points-based system (PBS) The post-study work route (PSWR) is for non-EEA would allow a government to ‘raise or lower the bar’ in • Further restrictions on student immigration from outside international graduates who have studied in the UK. different parts of the immigration system in order to achieve the EU, and on foreign students’ (and their dependents’) The entrepreneur route is for those wishing to invest in a certain (desirable or promised) level of immigration. The the UK by setting up or taking over, and being actively Points Based System (PBS) as currently structured, provides “The governmenT’s recenT involved in the running of a business. The investor route clear mechanisms for taking such an approach, without a cap. discussions wiTh india is for high net worth individuals making a substantial By changing the way points are awarded, or the thresholds for financial investment in the UK success, in different parts of the PBS (for example, by raising underlined The risk ThaT Tier 2 is for skilled migrants only. A successful applicant the salary or qualification requirements for intra-company The cap conTribuTes To an must be coming to fill a job at National Qualification transfers), the government could reduce numbers without Framework level 3 (or equivalent) or above and be paid resorting to a numerical cap. impression ThaT The uk is at least the ‘appropriate rate’ that would be paid to a Being in control of immigration does not require setting a noT ‘open for business’...” skilled resident worker doing similar work. The three limit or a cap. It is perfectly possible for the government to be in main routes are: control of an immigration system that is flexible and responsive ability to work Shortage occupation: for people coming to the UK to the needs of the country. Politically, the government would • More stringent requirements on those seeking to bring to work in a skilled occupation that is deemed to be in do better by predicting and managing migration flows to family members to the UK from outside the EU shortage and where it is sensible to fill that shortage via maximise benefits, minimise costs and reassure the public, • Reducing the rights of temporary migrants to settle and migration from outside the EEA. rather than by struggling (probably unsuccessfully) to meet remain in the UK permanently. Resident labour market test (RLMT): the employer arbitrarily imposed limits Policy development is much further advanced on (sponsor) needs to show that there is no suitably qualified The government’s headline objective on immigration, the first of these proposals than on the others, and this worker from the UK or EEA available to fill the specific repeated again by Home Secretary Theresa May in her first briefing focuses on the proposals and options for capping vacancy. Employers are required to advertise the relevant major speech on the issue, is to reduce net immigration ‘from and reforming the routes which govern immigration for vacancy through Jobcentre Plus and as agreed in a sector the hundreds of thousands to the tens of thousands’. work from outside the EU. Since all routes for low-skilled code of practice (for example in a trade magazine) for at immigration for work are currently closed, this means that least four weeks, at a level of earnings deemed reasonable Recent statistics this debate is about capping and/or reforming Tiers 1 and by the UK Border Agency (UKBA) for that job. stimated net immigration to the UK (the surplus 2 of the PBS, which govern skilled immigration for work. Intra-company transfer: for employees of multinational Eof people immigrating over people emigrating) in companies with at least 12 months’ company experience the year to December 2009 was 196,000 (Office of Tiers 1 and 2 of the points-based system being transferred to a skilled job in a UK-based branch National Statistics, Migration Statistics Quarterly Report iers 1 and 2 of the PBS allow for skilled persons to of the organisation. August 2010). This means that even the most minimal Tcome to the UK to take up employment. Persons This explanation is adapted from the Consultation by interpretation of the government’s objective would require coming under Tier 1 do not require an offer of employment the Migration Advisory Committee on the level of an net immigration to the UK to be halved. Prominent anti- before they come to the UK, whereas those coming under Continued on page 5 BHARAT BRITAIN: LONDON’S LITERATI A DISAPPEARING AN OVERVIEW OF SOUTH ASIANS IN CELEBRATE DSC NUMBER: ASIAN IMAGE MODERN GOAN THE UK 1870-1950 p. 3 AWARDS 2010 p.12 IN THEATRE p.13 LITERATURE p. 16 CONFLUENCE ROUND & ABOUT A GREATER BRITAIN EDITORIALLY SPEAKING HIGH SOCIETY AT BHAVAN BANQUET Bharat Britain: South Asians Making Britain, 1870-1950 has mulTiculTuralism Dance presentation by Bhavan teachers and students had iTs DAY? Shyama Perera his question has currently surfaced in the minds of many n 13 and 14 September 2010, the he conference made visible new research curriculum and the ways in which present and the Patcham Chattri dedicated to the South Tconcerned people. It all began with Trevor Phillips, Head Oexciting project ‘Making Britain: South Tfrom an impressive range of distinguished past colonial and postcolonial histories are Asian soldiers who died in the Brighton of the Equality and Human Rights Commission who has been Asian Visions of Home and Abroad, 1870- scholars, practitioners, curators and writers. written, discussing a number of models that hospitals. quoted as having said that “Multiculturalism is tantamount to 1950’ reached fruition with an international ‘Bharat Britain’ engaged discussion on the look at the presence of South Asians in the Meera Syal in conversation with Shyama sleepwalking into segregation”. On the other hand, notables conference at the British Library. range of networks and affiliations South here and now instead of being more centrally Perera talked about how memories of the like Lord Bhikhu Parekh, author of the Runnymede report The Conference panel Asians and Britons formed factored into national historical narratives. past and knowledge of such histories is on Multi-ethnic Britain maintains that he does not buy that across boundaries of ‘race’, While a body of scholarship in academic interwoven in the present. Elleke Boehmer, kind of thinking and goes on to remark, “This is like saying ‘nation’, ‘culture’ and ‘class’, circles addresses such issues, Burton argued Alexander Bubb, Ann David and Sarah Socialism is dead” Now where does this leave us? setting up connections which that this scholarship should be open to a wider Turner presented on cultural representations This magazine takes the view that the bottom line is where were to anticipate the diverse audience as part of a revised national history and networks in London, ranging from the migrants while rightfully trying to retain their identity through cultural make up of British curriculum. This was particularly appropriate dance performances of Uday Shankar and various cultural practices of their cherished heritage, must at all society today. in the light of the current government’s plans Ram Gopal to the close relationship between times bear in mind that they are not perceived as posing a threat One of the objectives of the to narrow the history curriculum in Britain poet Rabindranath Tagore and artist and to the British way of life and values. This is of fundamental he Rt. Hon. The Lord Tom McNally, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords and Minister of State for Justice two days at the British Library once more to a version of the well-known critic William Rothenstein, and poets Sarojini importance in the interest of social cohesion and integration. Twas Chief Guest at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s annual fund-raising Diwali Banquet on Wednesday 10th was to show how Asians ‘island story’. Naidu and Edmund Gosse.