Letters: How can a Conservative government have so little grip on migration?

SIR – Are Britain’s staggering legal immigration figures, estimated at 745,000 in the year to December 2022 (telegraph.co.uk, November 23), a result of deliberate – but covert – government policy, or just sheer incompetence? 

It would be useful to know before the general election. Either way, it does not look good for the Conservatives.

James Thacker
Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire

SIR – Ever since Gordon Brown’s “bigoted woman” moment in 2010, many people have voted Conservative because the party continued to promise lower immigration. Now we know this was a lie.

One more vote that the Tories can count out at the next election.

Alistair Bishop
Northwood, Middlesex

SIR – When David Cameron was prime minister, he promised to reduce immigration to “the tens of thousands”. Rishi Sunak says he will get the level down to what he inherited – around 500,000. 

If we really need these migrants to work in social care and the NHS, let the case be made openly. If not, we need action rather than words. Making commitments that are repeatedly broken suggests the Tories are either impotent or dishonest.

John Hicks
Manchester

SIR – How do the record-high net migration numbers square with the slogan “Take back control”, touted by Brexiteers during the EU referendum?

Steve Higgins
Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire

SIR – There is also the question of illegal immigration, which is a vital issue to many people. 

The Prime Minister has said that he would be prepared to revisit international relationships if there were human rights challenges once Parliament had passed emergency legislation. But we already know, from past experience, that lawyers will exploit any loophole in new laws to prevent deportations. 

This “wait and see” approach has already caused considerable delay, and people are wondering whether the Government wants to end illegal immigration at all – or whether, through gross incompetence, it is simply unable to control our borders. 
Either way, if the boats have not been stopped before the next election, people will vote accordingly.

Malcolm Symonds
Ashtead, Surrey 

SIR – It is simply impossible to arrest illegal immigration so long as Britain remains subject to the European Convention on Human Rights. Any immigration policy that does not address this issue will fail.

Lord Renwick of Clifton
London W1

Treasury tinkering

SIR – Government has been made too complicated, meaning there are too many public-sector workers dragging down growth. If processes and regulations were cut, fewer people would be required, savings would be made and taxes could be reduced. 

According to the Treasury, the tinkering in the Autumn Statement equates to the biggest tax cut since the 1980s (report, November 23). In the real world, millions more people will be paying more in tax. 

This highlights the complexity and absurdity of the tax code. It is time to adopt a fixed tax regime where everyone pays the same rate of tax on income, savings, purchases and investments. Only two decisions are needed: what the rate will be and when people start paying it. If working this out is beyond the mandarins of the Treasury, maybe AI can help.

Roger Gentry
Weavering, Kent

SIR – As usual, it is the hardworking middle-earners trying to save who will bear the brunt of political shenanigans – and it won’t improve under Labour (“Millions of workers to be dragged into 40pc tax band”, report, November 23). 

I always vote, given the battle for women to have that right – but why bother when I feel caught between the devil and the deep blue sea?

Lindsay Martin
Parkham, Devon
 

Riskier roads 

SIR – Following the tragic deaths of four young men in Snowdonia (report, November 23), I wonder if we should pay more attention to the risks arising from the poor condition of our roads. 

Driving at night on country roads is becoming increasingly dangerous. Bends are often not marked adequately. Cat’s eyes and white lines are not present in many places, and potholes are not repaired. Modern vehicles often have less effective headlights. 

The Government should attend to this – and not let the anti-motorist movement interfere.

David Boyd
Hertford
 

Christmas mail 

SIR – My wife’s birthday was on November 14. By then she had received one small parcel in the post. On November 21 I went to the sorting office to investigate. I was handed a pile of mail, including six birthday cards. Some items appeared to have been posted two weeks previously.

In yesterday’s Telegraph there was a Royal Mail advertisement telling us it would be “harsh” not to send Christmas cards in the post this year. Judging by its performance, I fear we may have missed the last posting date to ensure delivery by Christmas.

John Newbury
Warminster, Wiltshire

SIR – Near me, the Scouts are offering a card delivery service at a cost of 25p per card. They have post boxes in three stores and a pub, and will deliver from December 17. What a splendid idea.

Stefan Reynolds
Elstead, Surrey
 

Achievements to date

SIR – Years ago, when I was involved in recruitment, I received a handwritten CV (Letters, November 23). Over eight pages of A4, it described the applicant’s accomplishments in minute detail, ending with the phrase, “and I am, to some extent, ambidextrous”. I almost wanted to invite him for an interview.

Lynda Cox
Southampton
 

Debate in schools

SIR – Part of the purpose of education is to prepare young people to navigate the world and the impact it will have on them. Governments could do more to give schools practical guidance on some of these issues, including on understanding rhetoric (Letters, November 20). 

Many young people do not know how to argue their case when faced with views that differ from their own. Freedom of speech, dialogue and debate are notions that universities appear to have replaced with no-platforming, disinviting speakers, trigger warnings and safe spaces. The tools of reason and debate should therefore be an integral part of our educational system at an early stage.

Every school should have a debating club and take part in inter-school debating contests, with a national final and prizes. We owe it to our children to ensure they are better prepared.

Doug Clark
Currie, Midlothian

SIR – Nick Timothy (Comment, November 20) is quite right: young people today are often treated “like another species” simply because they voice their displeasure with the financial hardships they face and the policies of this Government, including on climate change.

They want what we all want – a decent job, their own home and the chance to have a family – yet are dismissed as “snowflakes”. So whatever sweeteners they are offered by the Government, I think it is far too little, far too late.

Judith A Daniels
Cobholm, Norfolk
 

Drummer’s progress

SIR – Visiting friends in Germany, we were dismayed to find that they had bought Sebastian, their small son, a drum kit (Letters, November 23), which he played incessantly. We hoped that he would outgrow his passion.

A couple of years later we stayed in their new house, which – as with so many German homes at the time – had a large cellar that seemed to have been built in case of nuclear attack. It provided the perfect soundproofed room for drum practice, and their son spent all his time there, emerging only for meals and school.

Sebastian, now in his forties and happily married with two children, is a professional drummer and music teacher. He travels the world with a top German rock band. Perhaps we should have had a different attitude during those early visits.

William T Nuttall
Rossendale, Lancashire
 

How to use your winter fuel payment for good

SIR – I am a pensioner in grateful receipt of the annual winter fuel payment (Letters, November 22), of which I am in no immediate need. So I distribute it to a variety of charities who can make better use of it. 

If the payment were abolished I would be no worse off, but several charities would be.

Susan Dale
Congleton, Cheshire

SIR – My wife and I recently received letters confirming our winter fuel payment. This was soon followed by an envelope sent first class by the Department for Work and Pensions, headed “Articles for the Blind”. Inside was a customised CD, addressed to my wife, that contained a recorded audio message repeating details of her fuel payment. 

We have been married for 44 years and, as far as I am aware, my wife’s eyesight remains excellent. How many others have received similar packages?

Geoff Pringle
Long Sutton, Somerset

SIR – It just requires a simple, free phone call (to a number available online) to pause or cancel your winter fuel payment if you feel you do not require it. 

Elaine Hicks
Groomsport, Co Down
 

The misery of travelling by train with luggage

SIR – Nick Eckford’s idea of placing train luggage into a separate carriage (Letters, November 22) would just result in delays and longer journey times, as there would be extended halts at stations while passengers went to find their bags.

I recently travelled to London from Edinburgh on a Lumo train of only five carriages, instead of the usual LNER train with eight. Luggage was piled up in the aisles, near the exit doors, and wedged under seated passengers’ knees. 

The attendants then removed any cases that were blocking walkways and stacked them, roof high, in the lavatories – thus knocking all bar one out of action for the four-hour journey. Not a pleasant trip.

I tried to complain to Lumo, but have received nothing more than a seemingly automated reply.

John Tilsiter
Radlett, Hertfordshire

SIR – Designers of the new rolling stock have failed to provide enough suitable luggage space. Did they try lifting a 20 kg suitcase on to an overhead shelf without dropping it on an unsuspecting passenger below?

Chris Ainsworth
Stetchworth, Suffolk

SIR – In the late 1940s and early 1950s my family always travelled light. Our trunk was collected by the railway company a day before we travelled, and awaited us on arrival.

Ann Pledger
Danbury, Essex
 

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