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Some thoughts on the Green Paper announced by the Home Secretary Jaqui Smith on Wednesday. Interested to hear other thoughts on this, Melanie Cooke A Green Paper announced by Home Secretary Jaqui Smith in Parliament on Wednesday proposes yet more restrictions on those coming to our ?tolerant and fair-minded country? and further draconian demands on those wishing to settle here and become citizens. Smith reminded us with pride that at the end of the month the much-touted Australian style points system will allow ?only those whom we need to come to work and study? (my italics) and that later this year ?we will begin to introduce compulsory identity cards for foreign nationals who wish to stay in the UK, making it clear whether they are allowed to work and how long they can stay.? At the same time, the consultation on testing the English of ?spouses? is nearing its end and seems likely to become law in the near future. Wednesday?s announcement set out New Labour?s plans for the ?third phase of immigration reform?. These plans are based on the results of what Smith calls, quaintly, ?listening events? with the British public (did anybody on this list get listened to about this?). The British public, according to Smith ?were clear about what we should expect of newcomers who choose to come to the UK and start on the path to citizenship?that they should speak English; that they should work hard and pay tax; that they should obey the law; and that they should get involved in and contribute to community life.? With the supposed backing of the British public in place, Smith went on to announce a raft of highly draconian proposals which amount to a shoring up of Fortress Europe against the rest of the (less developed? Brown and black-skinned? Poor? Non-European language speaker) world. These proposals are notable for their focus on health care and other welfare benefits ? for example, migrants will be charged for services until they are full citizens (or EU, of course). She also introduced the concept of ?earned citizenship?, mooted previously in papers by Ruth Kelly and Liam Byrne and mentioned in several speeches by Gordon Brown ? here we see how ?ideas? and ?things said in passing? become law ? how what is unthinkable one day becomes acceptable and then ?common sense? a short time later. Some of the proposals are: ? All migrants coming to the UK will be admitted as temporary residents. ? A limited number of categories?highly skilled and skilled workers, those joining family and those granted our protection?will then be able to apply to become probationary citizens for a time-limited period. Probationary citizenship is a new stage which will determine whether a migrant can progress to full citizenship or permanent residence. ? The vast majority of highly skilled and skilled workers entering under the points-based system will be expected to speak English (unless they are from the EU, of course?) ? In order to become a probationary citizen everyone will be expected to demonstrate English and knowledge of life in the UK. (that?s where we, the ESOL sector comes in?) ? Refugees who legitimately require protection will continue to receive their current entitlements (but the govt will make sure that fewer and fewer are accepted each year?) ? Temporary residents will be expected to support themselves without general access to benefits. Full access to benefits and services will be deferred until migrants have successfully completed the probationary citizenship phase. They are expected to contribute economically and support themselves and their dependants until such time as they become British citizens or permanent residents. (does this mean ill people will be left to treat themselves? If someone is in an accident and taken to hospital they won?t be treated unless they have paid their dues? How much further back will the welfare state be rolled?) ? People will be able to move more quickly through the system where they have made a positive contribution to British life by, for example, volunteering with a charity. ? A fund will be set up to help local service providers to deal with the impacts on local communities of rapid changes in population. Money for the fund will come from charging migrants an additional amount on immigration application fees. Unlike her predecessors at the Home Office, Smith does not even attempt to couch racist, discriminatory polices in the liberal language of ?entitlement? or rights. What were unthinkable, or at least unpopular, ideas only a few years ago ? citizenship testing, language testing prior to entry, (almost) forced voluntary work, ID cards, removal of health care and education for the most vulnerable etc etc are about to become enshrined in law. The question for those of us who remain on the inside of Fortress Europe must be ? how long before the same legislation is extended to us? *********************************** ESOL-Research is a forum for researchers and practitioners with an interest in research into teaching and learning ESOL. ESOL-Research is managed by James Simpson at the Centre for Language Education Research, School of Education, University of Leeds. To join or leave ESOL-Research, visit http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ESOL-RESEARCH.html A quick guide to using Jiscmail lists can be found at: http://jiscmail.ac.uk/help/using/quickuser.htm To contact the list owner, send an email to [log in to unmask]