Miliband outlines immigration policies, praised by IoD
Labour Leader Ed Miliband acknowledged the contribution of immigrants to Britain, while outlining the party's immigration policies, which he claims would be enforced within 100 days of an elected Labour government.
Speaking in Barry, Miliband pledged to introduce full exit checks, place bans on immigrants with 'serious' criminal records and hire an additional 1,000 border staff.
If I am prime minister we will begin work immediately to fix our immigration system with a plan founded on fair rules.
He also vowed to deal with the increasing strain on wages and public services brought about in part by immigration, by ending the indefinite detention of asylum seekers and banning recruitment agencies from hiring solely from overseas.
However, Miliband emphasised that balanced immigration was fundamentally good for Britain and promised he would not "do anything to denigrate or demean the contribution of people who have come to this country".
"If I am prime minister we will begin work immediately to fix our immigration system with a plan founded on fair rules, where wages can't be undercut and benefits must be earned; a plan where our borders and our communities are strengthened," Miliband said.
The Conservatives promised to cut immigration to the tens of thousands, but fell significantly short, with net migration standing at 298,000 over the last term. Former Home Office minister Norman Baker called such targets unrealistic and unenforceable.
Nonetheless, a Conservative spokesperson insisted that the party would "regain control of EU migration by reforming welfare rules, tackle criminality and abuse of free movement and cut immigration from outside the EU."
A study by the Institute of Directors (IoD) revealed that the majority of business feel that anti-immigration rhetoric was causing a lack of public understanding on the issue and failed to credit the commercial benefits.
"Politicians have been all too quick to talk up the costs in recent years, while only grudgingly recognising the benefits. We should expect better, and it is encouraging to see Ed Miliband make steps in this direction," said Simon Walker, director-general of the IoD.