Curbing immigration

SIR – In describing the denial of family reunion to unskilled migrants – while permitting it for their educated counterparts – as snobbery, Janet Daley (Comment, September 10) is high-minded but economically flawed.

Years ago, Milton Friedman pointed out that a country can have immigration or welfare – but not together. The failure of Britain’s post-war governments to heed this self-evident maxim is the reason, above all others, that immigration has become a toxic issue.

The most assiduous migrant, with a dependant wife and large family, whose skills do not earn him the national average wage, will inevitably claim more from the state than he can possibly contribute.

Moreover, unskilled migration has put pressure on Britain’s indigenous working class, at huge financial and social cost.

Finally, before Tony Blair opened the floodgates, our productivity per head was no less than now, with net migration of 40,000 per year. Chris Jones

Croydon, Surrey