UK Immigration News

Two prominent university vice-chancellors; Sir Steve Smith of Exeter University and Edward Acton of the University of East Anglia, have warned the government that its efforts to reduce immigration are bound to have a negative impact on the higher education sector. Sir Steve said that this would be disastrous because it could be 'at the start of what could become a significant international higher education boom.

Damian Green MP, until 5th September the UK's Immigration Minister, has been removed from his post in a cabinet reshuffle. He has been replaced by Mark Harper, the Conservative MP for the Forest of Dean. Mr Green is now the Minister of state for Police and Criminal Justice.

UK MPs debated immigration in the House of Commons yesterday. A backbench debate was triggered by a petition from the Migrationwatch UK pressure group, which campaigns for a reduction in the level of immigration into the UK. The debate was followed by a vote on the motion which called on the government to take all necessary steps to keep the population as close to current levels as possible, and in any event to keep it well below 70m. The motion was passed by the House.

London Metropolitan University (LMU) has stated that it intends 'to commence urgent legal action to challenge the revocation of its Highly Trusted status for sponsoring international students'. Last Wednesday, 29th August 2012, the UK's immigration authority, The United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) revoked the University's Highly Trusted Sponsor status, thereby preventing it from teaching students from outside the European Economic Area.

London First, an association of London businesses, has criticised Theresa May, the United Kingdom's Home Secretary for her 'constant finger pointing' and for making 'a succession of changes to the immigration rules'.

The United Kingdom's parliament will debate the issue of immigration on Thursday 6th September 2012. The debate will be led by Nicholas Soames, the Conservative MP for Mid Sussex, and Frank Field, the Labour MP for Birkenhead. The two MPs are co-chairs of the British parliament's Cross-Party Group on Balanced Migration which carries the slogan 'We believe that immigration should be brought down to the level of emigration' on every page of its website. Its aim is to see the population of the UK stabilise at about 65 million by the middle of the century.