The London Assembly has welcomed the publication of a study by the London School of Economics about the economic impact of introducing an earned regularisation of irregular migrants to the UK.
In October 2008 Assembly Members called on Mayor Boris Johnson to commission the research and join the Assembly in lobbying the UK Government to introduce a one-off, time limited regularisation for suitable migrants.
Welcoming today’s publication, Chair of the London Assembly Darren Johnson AM said:
"This report lends further economic weight to the argument in favour of regularising the status of hundreds of thousands of Londoners who are already making a significant contribution to the capital’s wealth. In the midst of a recession it would be tantamount to negligence to ignore the potential to add £3 billion per annum to UK GDP by introducing a limited and earned amnesty for hard working migrants who demonstrate a commitment to contributing fully to our society.
I am pleased that the Mayor has now agreed to work with the London Assembly in presenting the findings of the report to government and discussing the way forward."
The full text of the motion passed at a London Assembly on 8 October 2008 is as follows:
"This Assembly notes the election commitment given by the current Mayor and other leading contenders in support of a one-off, time-limited, earned regularisation of suitable irregular migrants, many of whom live and work in London, which would allow those who have been in the UK for many years to be admitted to a two-year pathway to citizenship.
This Assembly now resolves to make representations to the UK Government in support of such a regularisation, and calls on the Mayor to join it in making these representations, including by commissioning supporting evidence regarding the impact on London from GLA Economics."
Notes for editors:
1. The report "Economic impact on the London and UK economy of an earned regularisation of irregular migrants to the UK" can be found at: http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/economic_unit/