Cabinet 'debate' hints at split on immigration

Published on Wednesday 28 July 2010 15:48

IMMIGRATION emerged as another potential coalition stress point yesterday, as Vince Cable conceded that there was a "debate" going on in the Cabinet over the government's plans to impose a cap on immigration.

The Business Secretary claimed that there was no conflict between ministers over the plans, which have been put forward by the Conservatives and would see the number of non-EU migrants allowed into the UK limited at a level yet to be decided.

He admitted that in the ongoing discussions on the policy, he had been pushing for a "light touch" regime, opening up another potential rift among coalition partners alongside their differing stances on nuclear power and reforms to the UK voting system.

Speaking on the UK government's trade delegation trip to India, Mr Cable insisted he was committed to the cap.

But he added: "There clearly is a debate taking place. It's a grown-up debate about how these rules should be administered and I have a perspective, which I bring to India as the Business Secretary and president of the Board of Trade, wanting to encourage trade and inward investment."

He added: "For that reason I am making very clear the perspective I would like to bring to bear on this. It's not disagreement . . . there is no conflict."

Mr Cable said concerns had been raised with him by businesses in India and elsewhere around the world that a cap would place limits on highly skilled professionals moving to the UK.

He added: "I have made it very clear my job around the Cabinet table is to make the case for business.

"Business is clear we want Britain to be open for business. We want flexibility and we want these regulations, when they come in, to be administered with a light touch.

"That's a business perspective. It doesn't just apply to India, it applies more widely, that's entirely understandable."

But the government was trying to "balance two different things", he admitted.