Boris Johnson calls for illegal immigrant amnesty in London
Boris Johnson will tonight call for an "earned amnesty" for thousands of illegal immigrants living in the capital. The Conservative London mayor is to launch a review into the feasibility of granting an amnesty to an estimated 400,000 people living illegally in London, which is expected to report in two months' time. Johnson is willing to depart from the Conservative party line in his belief that people who have resided illegally for years in the capital should have the chance to "earn" their citizenship in order to play a full part in London life. Although he has no legal powers over politics/immigrationpolicy">immigration policy, Johnson said in a pre-recorded interview with Channel 4 News, due to be broadcast tonight, that he wanted to "lead the debate" on the issue. He is expected to lobby the Labour government once the City Hall review is complete, although both Labour and the Conservatives regard the issue as politically toxic and have in the past attacked the Liberal Democrats for suggesting it. Rest at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/nov/21/boris-immigration Interesting, no? Spartacus

Very. And, if done intelligently it could have positive effects. The numbers are such that wholesale deportation is pretty much unworkable. These people are already here and are already working, it would make sense to bring them into the tax system. The downside is that it would be a magnet to even more illegal immigration (not that we don't have a surfeit of that already)