Lord Howell: "nasty" impression of UK, people "in despair"

The encouragement for this series of blog posts is Lord Howell's timely and appropriate criticism of the immigration system as partially modified by the Tory/LibDem Coalition government.

The peer did not mince words, and neither does the report by the committee he chairs: 

"we call on the Government to present and communicate their visa and immigration policies with a level of balance and in a tone that do not discourage those who would add to the UK's prosperity from coming to the UK and supporting its businesses and trade. We do not believe that this is always the case at present"

"we feel that there is a real risk that anti-immigration rhetoric will lead immigrant communities in the UK to feel less welcome and less a part of the UK, with injurious consequences for the unity of the nation."

Favouring "Top Businesspeople"

The BBC story presents this as proof that something is being done: Home Secretary Theresa May has announced an invitation-only, fast-track visa service for top businesspeople.

At the risk of sounding cynical, this probably means Russian oligarchs and others who shuttle their money through London's financial markets.  Who else can identify invitees except those who have access to their financial dealings?  What a banker-friendly government forgets that these people rarely make the UK their home, pay very little taxes and park their assets in offshore havens.

Where the UK is losing out is on attracting the innovators and entrepreneurs who add real business value, enhance the skills of UK citizens and bring foreign customers to UK businesses, not foreign 'top businesspeople.'