What a surprise, a study designed by an anti-immigration to prove their cause.. does.

Real studies have shown most labour movement is within, not from outside the EU and that the points system will help considerably outside it. An aging population needs skilled workers, not to turn them away.

Leon Wolfeson, Oxford, UK

This is a policy which should have been adopted years ago. Frank Field is only coming out with this now because he knows the Tories are onto a winner with their promise of a cap on non-EU immigration when they come to power.

Sue M, Watford, England

By providing needed labour more quickly than the local economy can provide, migrant workers allow our economy to grow faster in good times without triggering inflationary wage rises. In bad times, migrant labour move home / to the next boom economy, removing the surplus labour. They are good for us.

Andrew, London, UK

I left already and am forever glad I did so. I still visit the UK which is nice as it give me a chance to visit the 3rd world.

Jeremy, Vancouver, Canada

Go Frank!

This is desparate. Everyone is behind you.

JohnW, Oldham,

Mr Field is the only Blairite (ex Cabinet Minister) with a brain.

Re the Home Office comment: since they haven't much of a clue how many immigrants are here: where they live: what they actually do: nor how many illegals live here either, how can they support their stupid comment?

Get 'em out!

Sardon, Fruges, France

My BF is Polish, & haven't claimed a benefit in the 4yrs he has been here. He's head foreman of a workshop managing 17 staff (14 nationalities). I'm a Kiwi, & have been here 3yrs on a work permit. I play 13k in tax & NI a year which I don't benefit from The UK needs immigrants like us not lazy sods

L G, London, UK

I like honest tax-paying working people, and I dislike work-shy lazy benefit-dependent scrounging leeches. Their skin colour is irrelevant for me.

Laura Fox, Chichester, UK

Stop all Africans & Asians from coming in . Anything else is going to viewed as slavery or racist. EU members can come in any time & be accepted & claim benefits yet a black/Asian work permit migrant who have worked in this country for yrs can not get anything. Are rules based on colour of skin

joe, Liverpool,

The minister has my absolute support, and that of eveyone I know (without exception). However, it is far too little far too late. At least we can make a start though.

Mike, Crowborough, UK

But it's the European immirgrants - the East Europeans that are the problem - 4 million arriving here in 2 years - no wonder people are resentful - and they have their UK State paid benefits paid to their families in Poland etc!! How stupid is that??

CA, Manchester, UK

First it was the Celts, then the Vikings, then the Angles, then the Saxons, then the Normans, then the Scots, then the Irish, then the German Jews, then the Italians, then the Jamaicians, then the Pakastanis, then Polish then the...isn't this the sum of the British nation?

John Bull, Canning, England

Many of our friends have left or are or are planning to leave. I am a graduate enineer and we are leaving for France within 2 years once my partners youngest child has completed education. I have advised my older children to seek a better qualiy of life elsewhere. The Uk is losing its Middlde Class!

Steve Marchant, Newton Abbot, UK

Alex M Yes well said. We also need to ask people to prove entitlement to services which happens everywhere else. And perhaps watch what happens with the Spanish idea. There are rough sleepers here stuck with no way out.
The world is not getting nicer and our first duty is to those already here

Calvin, Tooting, UK

All the Home Office can talk about is money, money money.

It's not about money it's about the destruction of countryside with extra building we'll need, our quality of life in overcrowded cities and the dilution of our culture.
This government has betrayed us.

Paul, East Sheen, UK

Can anyone prove that British people don't want to do these jobs the immigrants are doing? Or is it just way to bulldoze through any arguments. I hear this argument all the time, yet have never seen any evidence put forward by the people who use it.

William, manchester,

If you ask me, this sounds like nothing more than a mix of Islamophobia and xenophobia. The UK has no right to keep immigrants from poor nations out. You have a moral obligation to accept these people. 77 million people by 2050 is not a big deal! America's pop. will be 450 million by 2050.

Alex, seattle, Washington

get the lazy work shy brits of the social and working then the immigrants wont come as there will ne no work for them

mike, london, uk

If this government carries on refusing to obey the will of the democratic majority on immigration, then it can and will be overthrown by the democratic majority forces in Britain.

Democracy, not diktat and dictatorship!

Terry, London, UK

Too bloody late, this incompetent government has already let in far too many immigrants ,many of whom have dubious or criminal backgrounds. Labour have destroyed this Country ,I have a feeling deliberately or at least so incompetent as to appear deliberate.

John, woking, surrey

We should have had a policy of not increasing our population a long time ago and the reason is simple: England (not so much Scotland or Wales) is already grossly overpopulated as is. Unless we act soon we can kiss goodbye to what is left little is left of the English countryside.

Roger, Oxford,

The liberal system of tearing societies apart to send exploitable workers around the world -- in a modern slave trade where half dying on a ship means nothing as long as half arrive -- is certainly not compatible with what might be called "endogenous development". This should be stated openly.

Jane, Boston,

I sometimes wonder if issues such as this (and others such as valuable education budgets used to pay for Polish interpreters and criminals having more rights than their victims for example), are actually a New Labour Socialist ploy to provoke the Middle classes into anarchy. Brown, please JUST GO!

Chrstopher, Taunton, United Kingdom

Immigration, unlimited child benefits for every child, handing over our country to the EU and the expansion of the state into every part of our lives is the Labour legacy. It will be very difficult to reverse, if at all.

R Mason, London, UK

You can bet that the 400 thousand that left were the sort of people this country can ill afford to lose.
I shall be joining them when possible.
Britain is morphing into a third worlders benefits haven
You are all absolutely weclome to whats left of the place.

antony Graham, southport, England

Ah, there will be one Labour MP after the next election them!! At least one has realised why Labours standing has collapsed

Dave, Chorley,

why don't EU migrants in the UK place a burden on anything? Can anybody explain to me thanks..

jim, Leeds, UK

The government wants to do nothing to control over the illegal immigrants, who come to this country and get full benefits at our expenses. On the other side, the government wants to control legal immigrants to UK and pay their tax like every one else and contribute to British economy. It makes sense

RG, London, UK

Why is Labour so keen on immigrants? Look at all the lawyer MPs (Keith V?) making millions out of legal aid assisting immigrants. What does each immigrant cost the country in housing and benefits + legal aid? £20K p.a. as a starter, then more to deport them. Say goodbye to the green & pleasant land.

Rob Bryant, Bromley, England

I read recently that Spain is to pay £14,200 to unemployed migrants who return home, and who promise not to come back to Spain for 3 years.

This is a major concern with many countries.

Des, Edinburgh,

Every time I read an article like this, I feel how sad and uninformed some MPs are. They only seem to use a certain part of published studies without looking at the underlying assumtions. Maybe he is the mirror image of his constituency?

Jee, Harrow, England

As some of these comments show, people who would cap immigration always get labelled racists, their views vetoed. A normal debate becomes impossible. As the article makes clear, there are good reasons to cap it, especially in terms of public service provision, managed integration and sustainability.

Alex M, London,

Why ordinary people have seen this before the MPs

derek, essex, uk

Dave, Liverpool, England

Most of the recent immigrants are in Liverpool Dave. As usual the dumping ground of Britain. You can't move more than a foot in Liverpool for foreigners and they're not all visitors, at least not those out shopping in the suburbs with their dozens of children.

judy, Liverpool, England

Thank goodness someone who has a bit of clout has finally said something!
So many ordianary people have waited years for this

Bec, Bristol,

Only the BNP would have the mettle to implement a stop on ALL immigration. Zero net immigration will not do - 300,000 educated Brits leaving to be replaced by 300,000 Africans is not to our advantage.

Isaac Brown, Nottingham, uk

Fantastic news! Pity it is 10 years too late, but better late than never as they say. The situation is worse than that painted, as England (without the vast unpopulated areas of Scotland) is already the most densely populated country in Europe.

Richard Marriott, Kidderminster, England

Accept it or not ,they will be immigrants in this country as it has been since slave time. Just a little you can pay as respect to Africans is to leave them alone;Westerns are the causer of Africans misery. just look the job they do in this country! no British can do it (Elder,houses and Dis....)

Evancy , High Wycombe,

I think they have a strong case if it is worded right. The problem is not migration per se but that permament residency is afforded to those who have only been in the country 4 years. \this is the real issue that needs tackling. Doctors for instance are allowed permament resisdency after 4 yrs.

oslem, london,

So Labour is jumping on the immigration card, it smacks of desperation to me. Nu labour opened the gates and for years branded anyone who criticised them as zenophobic or racist.
How the worm has turned.

roger Kingston, york,

"Migration is good for employment and good for the economy - new migrants contributed £6 billion to the UK economy in 2006 alone." Poppycock and balderdash. Labour propaganda. Similar to the search for weapons of mass destruction?

Mike L., Noorthampton,

Stop giving non EU migrants access to healthcare, housing and benefits, and the problem goes away. Simple, thats why it will never happen.

steve, swansea, UK

A "cap on the number of immigrants"? ...If only! There must be an election in the offing. Also, where has Frank Field been for the LAST fifty years?

Brian Clacey, Croydon, UK

These east european migrants are not stealing British jobs. They have made the labour market a lot more competitive and are doing jobs that British will not do for whatever reason. These children of non-eu migrants that have settled here are also achieving than their white working class companions.

Jaskooner Singh, Glasgow, UK

... And also: 'Revealed: Immigrants swell populations of British towns by 10pc.' By James Slack 3 May 2007, Daily Mail. Illustrated by a colourful map of all the counties in the UK and how they have been affected by immigration.

It features a Romanian family of 101 immigrants living in Slough.

Annie H, Bath, UK

They forget to say that the unskilled immigrants are the ones who do the dirty work that many British citizens refuse to do, like fruit/veggie picking, cleaning jobs, etc. I am a skilled immigrant who pay lots of tax, that ironically helps to pay for the benefit of some ,lazy English citizen.

Mateus, London, UK

Please can we boot out Brown and put Frank Field in for the remainder of the Labour term - he seems to be the only Labour politician in tune with the concerns of British people.
We need to stop the flow of people from Asia and Africa and ensure that people who are here illegally are deported.

John, London, UK

Of the 400,000 that left in 2006, how many were immigrants and how many were British born who just wanted to get out.
Frank Field is right, but its way too late.
The country is flooded, " British citizens" holding bits of paper this government has happily thrust in their hands..
Its time to go.

Steve, Birkenhead, Merseyside

The uk has become a ghetto of no-go areas because of migration how is this good for the country. Stop more immigration and either integrate or remove those who do not want intergration. There is on language which is common to all English. If you cannot contribute ship them out.

steve tea, manchester, cheshire

I think it was an excellent idea to let in Russian and Eastern European criminal gangs. That way we can ensure regular people trafficking and other honourable past-times. Jack Straw says we have no way of knowing how many illegals have entered the country giving a real sense of multi culturalism.

P. Kelly, Hull, UK

Yes, too late.
I work on contract in many IT companies. I have noticed a massive change: highly qualified English IT staff leaving the country in droves to be replaced by a greater number of foreign cleaners, many of whom have difficulty replying to a cheery 'Hello'.
Dave

Dave, Liverpool, England

Sweden has always had a bit of a reputation for being soft touch on immigration. However it has had caps on “work permit” migrant settlement for years. Perhaps it is time to take a closer look at how other EU countries are dealing with similar issues.

Vince, Marathon, United States

Which sane and skilled person will want to come to this country if settlement in not allowed. I am an immigrant and work in the science industry and make a good salary, but I don't think I want to live among xenophobics anymore. You will lose many more people like me to more welcoming countries.

SD, London,

Immigration is necessary for countries that have large expanses of unpopulated land, industries which are under supplied with staff and have a strong growing economy.

Time to change.

P Flannery, Glasgow,

My wife is a foreign national who speaks three languages (English/Japanese/Mandarin) and has an MA ,yet she is having problems in obtaining a suitable job in translation/interpretation.
We had to pay £600 (valid for two years) for her visa ,it runs out next year will she be booted out too?

michael, newcastle, uk

Some common sense at long last. Why does it take politician's so long to see what most people can see? O yes they are completely out of touch with reality

Martin, Reading, Berkshire

If Brittan needs workers, look at the Saudi's, if the individual wants work the companiy applies for a visa, if the worker wishes to open a bank account send their children to school import good the company has to provide a letter that is enorsed by the gov, company is responsible until they leave.

Steve, Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia

Field has long been one of the few sane voices in the Labour Party. He is a throwback to the days when Labour stood for decency and honesty, not control freakery and plunder.

Billy Barnett, HK,

The Government allows unlimited immigration of cheap labour, and then wonders why poor people stay poor.

Wilberforce, London,

We need to cap the numbers - and do so in a manner that ensures that there can be no appeal to unelected non-UK bodies (eg. various folk in the EU) to overturn UK decisions. We also need to tighten the restrictions on who, among foreigners already here, may stay here.

Nick, Rotherham, UK

If Brown still refuses to listen, his homeland Scotland should take everyone of them. No Scottish agreement, no more Barnett Formula payments.

Russia needs immigrants, we don't, so offer them one way tickets to Moscow at ports and airports as they arrive, or send them home again,
and they pay.

Ken.H, Harrow, UK

A lot of immigrations are from EU country lately.
The other issue is the UK economy is highly dependent on international talent, trade and foreign investment, without that I am afraid the UK economy cant survive in this competitive world. How about control quality of immigrants rather than numbers

PT, Glasgow, UK

You don't need to have caps! It's probably racist & definitely immoral to target certain geographic areas.

Make access to all welfare impossible for the first 5 years & people will self-select. Those who can support themselves will stay, the vast majority will never even come in the first place.

Bertie, London,

It would appear Frank is getting nervous about holding on to his job as per all Labour MP's. I don't think any Labour MP's will survive the election whenever it comes and whoever is leading.

Russell, Aberdeen, Scotland

Dear me. If Field has it his way, all flights to New York, Sydney, Johannesburg and Auckland will be booked up by returnees for the next couple of years. (And who is going to run our mortgage providers, if they all go home?)

Alice W, Peckham,

Most of those who migrated from there to here did so because they felt like foreigners and second class citizens in their own land. The leaders are blind fools. I agree with Peter from Aldershot...... the horse has bolted. You have betrayed your own people.

Sean, Brisbane, Australia

This M.P. appears to be responding to the concerns of those who elected him. My goodness ///

wpo, warsaw, ny

Gate - Horse - Bolted

All these come to mind, YOUR TOO LATE !!!

Peter, Aldershot, UK