Home Secretary's Brother Criticises Immigration Proposals

Home Secretary's Brother Criticises Immigration Proposals

The Home Secretary's new stance on immigration has been sharply criticised by her own brother, who accused the Government of "denigrating foreigners".

Financial PR guru Roland Rudd said the public do not want an "intolerant Britain", after Amber Rudd set out tough immigration proposals designed to bring down numbers in the wake of the Brexit vote.

They include plans to force UK businesses to publish the number of foreign workers they employ - a move that drew widespread criticism.

In a key speech delivered at the Tory Party conference this week, Ms Rudd said businesses and universities could face new restrictions on recruiting overseas workers and students.

Speaking about the new approach to immigration, Mr Rudd told BBC Radio 4's Today show: "I do not think people voted for an intolerant, closed Britain.

"I think denigrating foreigners is wrong, treating eastern Europeans as second-class citizens is shameful, and hate crime is appalling, and I hope it's time that good people everywhere actually are counted and speak out.

"Mending free movement of people doesn't mean you end it and I think the language you use towards people who are different is incredibly important.

"We don't want a society where we just only talk about what's right for British workers as if people who've come from Europe who now live and work here are not part of society - they are.

"We need a big, bold move from this Government to immediately say now that every European that lives and works here can stay and live and work here."

He added: "I think my sister is an amazingly talented wonderful woman, but we don't have to share the same view on everything all the time.

"I don't understand this attack on enterprise, on globalisation, in the way that we've heard it this week. I think we have to remember what's best about Britain is its openness, its tolerance."

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