UKIP say Tory promises on immigration are a "pantomime of pretence"

UKIP Leader Nigel Farage has slammed what he has called “a pantomime of ridiculous pretences” as Theresa May and Iain Duncan Smith become the latest Tory Cabinet members to hit out at EU migration issues, calling it “all a big act to try to woo increasingly distrustful voters in Eastleigh”. Home Secretary Theresa May said she would introduce a new law to stop foreign criminals getting deportation blocked under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and slammed UK judges for resorting to the Article, which outlines rights to family life, to prevent criminals being sent back to their home countries after committing a crime. Meanwhile, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith parroted claims by the Conservatives that the Government are seeking ways to prevent the UK from being a soft touch to Eastern European migrants with access to the UK from 2014.

But Mr Farage was absolutely scathing in his assessment of the Tories: "This is the latest in an ongoing pantomime of ridiculous pretences being played out by the Conservative Government in order to persuade voters in Eastleigh that they have a handle on immigration. The truth of the matter is, they do not and cannot.It is all a big act to try to woo increasingly distrustful voters in Eastleigh who are extremely concerned about unlimited migration from Romania and Bulgaria next year. Regarding deportation, the final say comes from the European Court of Human Rights. UK judges are using Article 8 because if it wasn’t cited here, the case could be taken to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg where it would be used to overturn the UK court decision. Whatever Mickey Mouse law Theresa May tries to push through Parliament will be as useful as a chocolate teapot."

Continuing Mr Farage said: "The same is true regarding this preposterous charade of setting up a House of Commons working group to look at ways to stop Romanian and Bulgarian migrants from having instant access to welfare benefits and our national health service from 2014. European Commissioner for Justice and Fundamental Rights Vivian Reding, also Vice President of the European Commission, has made it very clear that any EU migrants coming into the UK must by law be on equal footing with people already living here. They cannot be discriminated against, which means they too can claim welfare and have access to social housing, education and free healthcare. The Conservative Party and the Labour Party are throwing accusations at each other on immigration in order to score points with potential voters in Eastleigh. The truth is the blame lies entirely with membership of the EU and the signing of the ECHR. Unless the UK leaves both institutions, the UK Parliament, whoever is in Government, is impotent to act. Yet the only party who is advocating pulling the UK out of the EU is UKIP."