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What happened What the editorials said

The politics of migration
David Cameron claimed last week that
uncontrolled immigration had led to
“discomfort and disjointedness” in some
neighbourhoods. In his most forthright speech
on the issue, he accused Labour of presiding
over the “largest influx” of migrants in
Britain’s history: between 1997 and 2009, he
said, 2.2 million more people had settled here
than had left to live abroad. This had put
pressure on public services and social
cohesion, and was partly the fault of a
“woeful” welfare system that had paid British Cameron: blowing his whistle? the extremists, but their failure to do so.”
people not to work. It was time, he said, to
return to the immigration levels of the 1980s and 1990s, when
the number of annual entrants was in “the tens of thousands,
rather than the hundreds of thousands”.
The speech drew a swift response from Vince Cable, the
Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, who called it “very
unwise”. “I do understand there is an election coming [for
local councils on 5 May],” he said, “but talk of mass
immigration risks inflaming the extremism to which he and I
are both strongly opposed.” Cameron rejected the criticism,
insisting he had only been setting out coalition aims.
Why it happened is “a moot point”, said The Daily Telegraph.
Some blame incompetence; others say it was “deliberate
policy”. But whatever the reason, there’s no
doubt Labour ceded control of our borders.
Annual net immigration – the difference
between those arriving and those leaving –
used to be 40,000 to 60,000, but it has been
at 150,000 or more for nearly 15 years.
Cameron was correct to address this. “For
someone who earned a reputation for owlish
sagacity in opposition, it is Mr Cable whose
wisdom is in doubt. It is not mainstream
politicians talking about this issue that suits
But there is something cynical about raising this topic just
before local elections, said The Independent. Cameron’s speech
didn’t contain any new policy announcements: it was just a
standard lament about the need to tighten our borders,
leavened with the “usual acknowledgment of the benefits of
immigration”. The speech did set out some plans as well, said
The Sunday Times. Cameron promised tougher action against
sham marriages, students registering for bogus courses, and
asylum system abuse. The degree to which he follows through
on those pledges will ultimately show whether his speech was
“a declaration of intent or dog-whistle politics”.

What happened What the editorials said

Mission creep in Libya
David Cameron, Barack Obama and Nicolas
Sarkozy stated last week that Colonel
Gaddafi “must go, and go for good”.
Rejecting demands for a ceasefire, the leaders
declared that it would be an “unconscionable
betrayal” of the Libyan opposition if Nato
forces ceased operations while the dictator
was still in power. However, Nato talks in
Berlin ended in deadlock, with the US, Italy
and Spain refusing to contribute extra
aircraft for ground attacks. This week, Shrapnel injuries at a Misrata hospital There is a sense, reminiscent of Iraq in
Foreign Secretary William Hague revealed
that British officers would be sent to the rebel stronghold of
Benghazi to train anti-Gaddafi forces.
Meanwhile, the siege and bombardment of Misrata – the
only rebel-held city in western Libya – continued into its
sixth week, with at least 300 dead, while there was more
fighting in the front-line town of Ajdabiya. Pro-Gaddafi
forces were accused of using rape as a weapon of war, and
of deploying cluster bombs against civilians.
“The contradictions at the heart of US policy in Libya are
becoming more acute,” said The Washington Post. “Let’s see if
we can sum this up: Mr Obama is insisting
that Nato’s air operation cannot end until
Mr Gaddafi is forced from office – but he
refuses to use American forces to break the
military stalemate.” If he were aiming to
“plunge Nato into a political crisis”, or to
exhaust the military budgets of Britain and
France, this would be “a brilliant strategy.
As it is, it is impossible to understand.”
2003, that “the casus belli is being breezily
redefined”, said The Guardian. UN Security Council
Resolution 1973 authorised the no-fly zone in order to protect
civilians. Now it seems that the Western powers are aiming
squarely at regime change (though the three leaders claimed,
unconvincingly, that they did not wish to remove Gaddafi;
merely that he should go). There is a serious danger of
“mission creep” in Libya, said The Daily Telegraph. Britain
faces the prospect of seeing ground troops sucked into yet
another open-ended “risky overseas adventure”.

It wasn’t all bad When Corey Newman

Four British soldiers who were
wounded in Afghanistan have
become the first amputee
servicemen to trek unsupported
to the North Pole. Cpt Martin
Hewitt, Cpt Guy Disney, Sgt
Stephen Young and Pte Jaco
Van Gass did the trek to raise
money for charities including
Help for Heroes. They were
joined in the first leg of their
gruelling journey by their
former comrade Prince Harry,
who said: “I’m thrilled that the
guys have made it – what an
awesome achievement.”
THE WEEK 23 April 2011
decided to set his girlfriend
A 32-year-old woman has been
hailed as a real-life superhero
a life-changing puzzle, The after averting disaster on a level
Washington Post was crossing. Two drivers had
happy to help. Marlowe crashed at the crossing near
Epstein, 31, (right, with Hensall in North Yorkshire, and
Newman) was deliberating a train was fast approaching.
over the newspaper Lucy Gale ran onto the tracks
crossword last weekend, at and pulled one of the motorists
their home in Virginia, to safety before driving their car
when she discovered that out of the path of the train. She
one of the clues spelled out then ran to the man in the other
Marlowe (37 Across: “Shakespeare in Love role”). Another car – while she was yanking the
produced Epstein (39 Across: “Casablanca writer Julius or Philip”). door to help him escape, the
And then she got to 51 Across: “Words with a certain ring to train whistled past, narrowly
them.” Looking up at Newman, she said the answer out loud: “Will missing them both. “I just saw
you marry me?” At that, Newman fell to his knees with a diamond these people needed help – it
ring and repeated the question – to which the answer was: “Yes.” had to be done,” she said.
COVER CARTOON: HOWARD MCWILLIAM
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