Jack Straw denies 'secret plot' on mass immigration - Telegraph
The former Home Secretary, now the Justice Secretary, said it was "just untrue" that the Government had a deliberate policy in the early 2000s to use immigration for political ends and to attack the Right.
It follows claims last week by Andrew Neather, a former adviser to Tony Blair, Jack Straw and David Blunkett, that the huge increase in migrants over the last decade were partly due to a politically motivated attempt by ministers to radically change the country and "rub the Right's nose in diversity".
He said Labour's relaxation of controls in 2000/01 was a deliberate plan to "open up the UK to mass migration" but that ministers were nervous and reluctant to discuss such a move publicly for fear it would alienate its "core working class vote".
As a result, the public argument for immigration concentrated instead on the economic benefits and need for more migrants.
Chris Grayling, the shadow home secretary, yesterday told the Commons it would be "utterly disgraceful" for ministers to base immigration policy on party politics.
