Marginal seats to be decided by immigration policy

The next general election is looming large and the contentious issue of immigration will likely dominate the eventual results, none more so in the dozens of marginal seats which could decide the outcome.

While the incumbent Labour government has ruled out any capping of immigration numbers this will in all probability change under the Conservatives. The recent high-profile declaration by the Tories that they would reduce immigration numbers by up to 75 percent has been backed up by fellow parties the British National Party, the UK Independence Party and the Liberal Democrats.

Yesterday John Denham, the communities’ secretary of state, officially ruled out any annual capping system. Denham used the example of the first person following the cap limit being an international heart specialist to highlight exactly what Britain may be missing out on under the cap.

The pressure group MigrationWatch has polled some 60 key marginal electorates to determine the feeling of the public towards the cap proposal and found that 44 percent of the voting public in swing-seats held by Labour backed the Conservative plan and would vote accordingly if leader David Cameron could back up his words with actions. Cameron has suggested that he would prevent tens of thousands from entering the UK each year if elected.

Immigration could decide the election according to Migrationwatch, who’s Chairman Sir Andrew Green said that voters would respond positively to political parties that address the issue with seriousness.

Denham, in defense, said that the stronger controls enacted by the Labour government in recent months along with a fall in net immigration into the UK in the past year indicates that the existing policy is working.