On immigration, the Conservative manifesto seeks to strike a balancer tone, by consciously mixing tougher (control) and softer (openness, fairness) messages. A picture of Chancellor Sajid Javid with Home Secretary Priti Patel at the party conference illustrates the section. 
Theme one: Control
- firmer and fairer points-system
- end freedom of movement
- fewer low-skilled migrants
- "overall numbers will come down"
[No target. The 2010, 2015, 2017 net migration target of "tens of thousands", and language of "to sustainable levels" both ditched]
- firmer and fairer points-system
- end freedom of movement
- fewer low-skilled migrants
- "overall numbers will come down"
[No target. The 2010, 2015, 2017 net migration target of "tens of thousands", and language of "to sustainable levels" both ditched]
Theme two: Openness
Want UK "to be a magnet for the best and brightest" and for "new migrants who will fill shortages in our public services".(See this IpsosMori attitudes evidence: public are selective & rather reluctant reducers on specifics)
Want UK "to be a magnet for the best and brightest" and for "new migrants who will fill shortages in our public services".(See this IpsosMori attitudes evidence: public are selective & rather reluctant reducers on specifics)
Theme 3: control, contribution
- What is a points-system looking for?
- What is a points-system looking for?
Theme 4: more compassionate
"What happened to the Windrush generation was horrific and we will ensure it never happens again" (*)
"We want EU citizens who came to live in the UK before Brexit to stay - and we have committed to absolutely guaranteeing their existing rights" (*)
"What happened to the Windrush generation was horrific and we will ensure it never happens again" (*)
"We want EU citizens who came to live in the UK before Brexit to stay - and we have committed to absolutely guaranteeing their existing rights" (*)
(*) The aspirations are good, but govt has not already done this. Will need a legal and policy change to do this.
There is no absolute guarantee of existing rights.
Current policy will existing remove legal status from some EU nationals in 2021, commissioning a new Windrush.
There is no absolute guarantee of existing rights.
Current policy will existing remove legal status from some EU nationals in 2021, commissioning a new Windrush.
* Government has not absolutely guaranteed existing rights. It needs to amend its proposals, to say "no EU citizen who had legal status to be in UK pre-Brexit should lose eligibility to status in Jan 2021". Current gvt policy will cut tens of thousands off
It's a worry that the Conservative manifesto says the government has already done something that paragraph 138 of the Withdrawal Bill explanatory notes make clear they have not done - and need to do to keep these 2019 and 2016-2017 promises.
Theme 5: Integration and openness
- boost English language teaching
- boost data on barriers to opportunity, inc race
- champion free expression & tolerance
- a prominent Windrush Generation memorial in central London.
- boost English language teaching
- boost data on barriers to opportunity, inc race
- champion free expression & tolerance
- a prominent Windrush Generation memorial in central London.
Theme 6: Compassion (for a time)
"We will continue to grant asylum and support to refugees fleeing persecution, with the ultimate aim of helping them return home if it is safe to do so".
"We will continue to grant asylum and support to refugees fleeing persecution, with the ultimate aim of helping them return home if it is safe to do so".
Theme 7: contribution = fairness
After Windrush memorial on recognising historic contribution, pivot to pay in before you take out principle. NHS and welfare rules.
After Windrush memorial on recognising historic contribution, pivot to pay in before you take out principle. NHS and welfare rules.
Theme 8: fairness = attention to housing and skills.
Theme 9: balancer voice to summarise "a package of measures that is fair, firm and compassionate"
Theme 9: balancer voice to summarise "a package of measures that is fair, firm and compassionate"
2017 manifesto for comparison
- more specific about reductions than 2019
- more specific asylum than 2019
- less specific about post-FoM than 2019
- more reluctantly acknowledges of migration for skill gaps
- had race audit but not Windrush acknowledgemt
google.co.uk/amp/s/blogs.sp…
- more specific about reductions than 2019
- more specific asylum than 2019
- less specific about post-FoM than 2019
- more reluctantly acknowledges of migration for skill gaps
- had race audit but not Windrush acknowledgemt
google.co.uk/amp/s/blogs.sp…
2017 manifesto shared themes of control + contribution, but different balance; more restrictionist tone than how 2019 balances its control+contribution, rules+compassion cocktail. There are 2017 extracts. Both are much more about broad aspirations than about "how"
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