Government has left immigration rules in chaos

12.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 14th Jul 2008

Commenting on today's publication of the Immigration and Citizenship Bill, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"It is a shame it has taken this Government seven immigration bills and 11 years of administrative chaos to get round to consolidating and simplifying Britain's immigration rules.

"This Bill is an admission by ministers that chronic mismanagement of immigration has shattered public confidence and left public services in some parts of the country severely overstretched.

"Their solution appears to be to heap further charges on working migrants, who already fund public services like everyone else through the taxes they pay.

"What kind of first step to citizenship is it to ask people to pay more for public services in a country where we're all allegedly equal?"