Has the immigration debate become toxic? - a podcast by The Times

Tim Montgomerie is joined by Jenni Russell, Philip Webster and Libby Purves.Jenni Russell This week the Defence Secretary apologised after saying that some communities in Britain felt swamped by immigrants. He used a word that he must have known had a toxic resonance in the debate. The Archbishop of Canterbury, appalled, has pleaded with politicians not to portray individual immigrants as a 'deep menace'. He is right. Politicians are behaving scandalously. The answer to the problems created by rapid immigration is to change the rules of admission, not to abuse the people who follow them. Philip WebsterIt is in Labour's interest that UKIP wins the Rochester by-election. Such an outcome would leave the Tories in utter disarray, fearing further defections with a question mark over the future of David Cameron. But they cannot afford to say that, which is why they are campaigning hard there. Why? Because otherwise Cameron's message Vote UKIP, Get Labour has added salience. And UKIP might come for...

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