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Ed Miliband Reveals New 'Immigration Crackdown', After Doing Just That 7 Times Before

Ed Reveals 'Immigration Crackdown', After Promising That 7 Times Before
Asa Bennett
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Labour Party leader Ed Miliband introduces New York Mayor Bill De Blasio (not pictured) in the main hall at Manchester Central, in Manchester on September 24, 2014 on the fourth day of the Labour Party conference. At the final party conference before the May 2015 general election, Labour Party leader Ed Miliband set out six key goals he hoped to achieve in office within a decade, to build a 'world-class Britain'. AFP PHOTO/LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images)
LEON NEAL via Getty Images

Ed Miliband has pledged to introduce a five-point immigration bill in the first year of a Labour government in a bid to head off the threat of Ukip.

Speaking in Chatham, near the Rochester and Strood constituency that polls say will give Nigel Farage's party its second MP next month, the Labour leader said the party would introduce the bill in the first Queen's Speech.

Voters, he said, "want an immigration system that reflects their values of fairness and responsibility. And its only Labour that understands both of those things." For good measure, he said that Labour would be saying "more about immigration policy in months to come".

The Telegraph's Christopher Hope described it as a "crackdown", but Labour sources are quick to deny briefing it in such a way, instead saying Miliband is "doing this the Labour way".

See also:

This Poll Shows How Hilariously Confused Brits Are About EU Migration

Mehdi Hasan writes: "Cracking Down on Immigration Won't Help Labour See Off Ukip"

Miliband has repeatedly promised to tackle immigration. Despite this, Ukip has continued to rise and gain supporters, with the party "ripping lumps" out of Labour at the recent Heywood and Middleton by-election.

Given Miliband promised to tackle immigration seven times before, why will the eigth be any better for him?

7 Times Miliband Pledged An Immigration Crackdown
Miliband: Brits need "fair crack of the whip", 23 June 2012(01 of04)
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Miliband warned that Britons needed "a fair crack of the whip" as "local talent" was being "locked out" by foreign-born workers.He added: “Worrying about immigration, talking about immigration, thinking about immigration, does not make them bigots. Not in any way.“They’re anxious about the future. And since this conversation is going on in the houses, streets and neighbourhoods of Britain, it must be a conversation that the Labour Party joins, too.” (credit:PA/PA Wire)
Miliband targets firms using cheap foreign labour, 5 January 2014(02 of04)
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Writing in The Independent on Sunday, Miliband vowed to tackle firms using cheap foreign labour, warning that "low-skill immigration risks making the problems of the cost of living crisis worse for those at the sharp end". (credit:Tim Goode/EMPICS Entertainment)
Miliband pledges to 'do something about it', 27th May 2014(03 of04)
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The Labour leader told an audience in Thurrock, Essex, that many voters had spoken to him about "immigration and the changes [they] have seen" in the area.He acknowledged that voters want politicians to "do something about it". (credit:Tim Goode/EMPICS Entertainment)
Miliband promises to be 'hard-headed', 12th October 2014(04 of04)
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Writing in the Observer after Labour narrowly stopped Ukip winning the Heywood and Middleton by-election, Miliband said Labour "cannot - and will not - ignore" immigration and promised to address concerns in a "hard-headed fashion".
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