Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ukip needs to address the “racists” in its party, said the shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna, yesterday, while admitting immigration is “a concern” in the party.
Labour has recently increased the tone of its rhetoric on immigration, backing an extension of the time to six months that EU migrants must be in the UK before claiming out-of-work benefits.
After Labour narrowly avoided disaster last week, when the party was only 617 votes away from losing the safe seat of Heywood and Middleton to Ukip, Ed Miliband sought to calm fears by promising a “hard-headed” approach to immigration that would include stronger border controls, laws to end exploitation, and reforms to ensure that immigrants “earn the right” to claim benefits in the UK. A close source denied this meant that the party is turning to the right or “aping Ukip”.
In an article in The Observer yesterday, Mr Miliband said the ability of new migrants to claim benefits must be based on principles of “contribution, responsibility and fairness”.
Labour’s deputy leader, Harriet Harman, echoed this on The Andrew Marr Show: “If people want to claim contributory benefits they should have been here long enough to pay into the system before they get [anything] out.”
Interviewed on Sky News, Chuka Umunna said: “Of course, there are racists in Ukip. That is unfortunate and something they need to address. They say terrible things about different parts of our society.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments