Cameron slaps down Boris over illegal immigrant amnesty remark

David Cameron has weighed in to the London Mayoral contest by effectively trying to silence Boris Johnson, the Conservative contender, on matters of immigration. Johnson said that he thought it would benefit the capital if illegal migrants were offered a one-off pardon. Cameron thinks this would just let others think they can come into the country illegally leading to demands for further amnesties.

Both sides have a point. The truth is, though, that we don't have total control over immigration now that the EU gets its 90 cents worth of nose-poking into the issue. Immigrants are required for our economy, because a lot of people won't work in the places and for the pay that the migrants are prepared to. The government is going some way to relieving the problem of unabated, unregulated immigration.

However, the Conservatives need to get to grips on this too. All the while that the government of the day knows little of the numbers here, then it feeds into the electoral success box of the BNP. I think that come the local elections on May 1st, it will be a wake-up call to these politicians. The BNP will score successful results in places. What then for David Cameron?

It is very unedifying seeing such policy differences between Conservatives. Not because we shouldn't have a debate, we should. But because it gives the impression they don't know what they are doing. I hope we can get a detailed, fair and workable policy outlined without soundbites and spin.