JUST like Ukip during this year’s European election campaign, Peter Mullen (Echo, Oct 21) supports his alarmist views on immigration with quotes from a 2009 London Evening Standard article by former government adviser, Andrew Neather, which supposedly exposed a "plot" to promote multiculturalism by encouraging mass immigration.
Mr Mullen failed to mention that Mr Neather’s article highlighted the benefits of immigration. It was entitled: “Don’t listen to the whingers – London needs immigrants.”
Reaction to his article compelled Mr Neather to write a follow-up, in which he said that his words had been “twisted out of all recognition” by “excitable right-wing newspaper columnists”.
He said there was no such “plot”. In 2000, changes were proposed to make it easier for skilled workers to come to the UK. Mr Neather suspected a subsidiary purpose – “boosting diversity and undermining the right’s opposition to multiculturalism” – but said that “the main goal was to allow in more migrant workers at a point when – hard as it is to imagine now – the booming economy was running up against skills shortages”.
He concluded: “A diverse society that welcomes immigrants works. We’ve got one right here in London.”
Pete Winstanley, Durham
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel