Thread: UK Senior Conservative Wants Amnesty

Let illegal immigrants stay, proposes Boris

* Gaby Hinsliff
* The Observer,
* Sunday April 6 2008
* Article history

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This article appeared in the Observer on Sunday April 06 2008 on p14 of the News section. It was last updated at 00:02 on April 06 2008.

Longstanding illegal immigrants should be offered British citizenship in a one-off amnesty, the Tory London mayoral candidate Boris Johnson will say this week in a surprise intervention.

Johnson, the grandson of Turkish migrants, will confound critics who have criticised his credentials on race by backing radical proposals for a reprieve, covering illegals who have been in the UK for more than four years and put down roots.

This would cover visa overstayers, or asylum seekers whose claims have been rejected but who are unable to return to countries such as Zimbabwe. Supporters argue it would ensure people who may have disappeared into the black economy and are not likely ever to get deported can regularise their status and pay taxes.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008 ... tionpolicy

A "one off amnesty"? Gosh, that sounds familiar.