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Simon Hughes MPRepresenting Southwark and Bermondsey since 1983 |
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'Those who have given us a square meal are entitled to fair deal' - Hughes
April 21, 2008 12:00 PM
Simon Hughes, MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey and President of the Liberal Democrats, was one of the key speakers at last Sunday's rally in Trafalgar Square, organised by the Ethnic Catering Alliance.
The owners of Bangladeshi, Chinese, Indian, Turkish and other ethnic restaurants are increasingly concerned that the government's new points-based immigration system may force the closure of many of these popular local businesses, which keep Southwark fed on a daily basis.
The Liberal Democrats have forced a debate on the new immigration rules which is expected to take place in the next couple of weeks.
Speaking at the rally on Sunday to hundreds of restaurant workers, Simon Hughes said:
"Southwark has taken ethnic minority restaurants to its heart and to its stomach in increasing numbers in recent years. There are thousands of legally hard-working women and men in the catering industry who are now afraid that because they do not hold British passports their future employment in this country will be under threat.
"Of course, there must be limits on the numbers of immigrants allowed into this country at any one time. But any new system of immigration control must not discriminate against the low-paid in favour of the higher-paid or against well-established workers from the Commonwealth and other countries who have lived law-abiding lives in the UK over many years.
"Those who have given us a square meal are entitled to a fair deal."
Notes to Editors
• The government's Australian-style points-based immigration system came into effect on 29.02.08, subject to further parliamentary confirmation later in the year.
• The new rules replace the old system of Work Visas and rank migrants according to a tiered system, allowing (1) 'Highly Skilled' (2) 'Skilled' (3) 'Low Skilled' workers to fill temporary labour shortages (4) Students' and (5) 'Youth mobility and temporary workers'.
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