‘We got it wrong!‘

The stark statement from the Home Secretary on immigration.

One can tell we are nearing a General Election as the usual arrogance seems to have taken a back seat in readiness to be replaced by attrition as Alan Johnson yesterday admitted the Government had mishandled immigration and that it is placing a ’strain’ on jobs and services.

The Home Secretary admitted his Government’s ineptitude as he said Labour had been ‘maladroit‘ in its approach to the issue. Claiming there will now be no ‘shying away‘ [as it is] ‘one of the public’s top concerns‘.

The ‘moderate majority’ had not had its views heard, Mr Johnson said.

Mr Johnson had previously claimed he did not ‘lie awake‘ worrying about the population reaching 70million. Which in itself was broadly in line with his predecessor’s predecessor Phil Woolas less than 12 months ago.

Mr Johnon seemed to understand reality when he said some parts of Britain were ‘disproportionately affected‘ [by immigration], with new arrivals putting a ‘strain‘ on jobs and services.

Admitting the PLP’s failings he said ministers had ignored for ‘far too long‘ problems in the immigration system that led to huge backlogs of asylum seekers and foreign national prisoners.

The only discernible reason for this offering of humble pie is the proximity to the General Election and Mr Johnson’s Party leadership ambitions.

Whilst I accept that governments of both persuasions, including this one, have been maladroit in their handling of this issue, I do believe that the UK is now far more successful at tackling migration than most of its European and north American neighbours

Why can’t you just say ‘this Government’? You’ve had power for 12 years, you’ve ravaged our country at least have the integrity to admit the failing is one of your own making.

As I’ve said, our record is not perfect. When we came in to government in 1997, there was no magic button we could push immediately to resolve all the historic, political and operation problems associated with immigration

Yet another instance of blaming the inherited situation instead of stepping up to the plate.

The legacy problems with unreturned foreign national prisoners and asylum seekers may have accumulated under previous administrations, but they continued to be ignored for far too long on our watch

Very clever, when referring to previous administrations he actually means under Tony Blair but words it in such a way as it read as though it is pre-’97.

Alan, you can fool all of the PLP at the same time but you will find the British public a far worthier adversary.