Immigrant amnesty could add £3bn to economy
By politics.co.uk staff
Granting illegal immigrants an amnesty could boost the economy to the tune of £3bn, according to a new academic study.
The London School of Economics (LSE) report, commissioned by London Mayor Boris Johnson, indicates any change would not necessarily encourage further illegal immigration.
“This new report has introduced some long overdue facts, hard evidence and academic rigour into a debate which has far too often been dominated by myth, anecdote and hearsay,” the Mayor said.
“So, far from a financial burden, as some suggest, this new research has found an amnesty could be worth up to £3bn a year to the country’s economy.
“The study also demolishes the argument that an amnesty would inevitably lead to increased migration to the UK and identifies effective border controls as the vital factor in controlling and deterring illegal immigration.”
Immigration minister Phil Woolas has branded Mr Johnson “naive” for arguing for an amnesty.
There are currently around 618,000 illegal immigrants in the UK, the vast majority of which are in London.
The deportation of all illegal immigrants is estimated to cost £4.7bn.
