On April 8, the British government decided to deny visas to all 18- to 30-year-old Nigerians who have not visited the country before and have not been accepted to study in Britain. Last year, 60,000 Nigerians in that age group were granted visas. Immigration is a hotly debated issue in the lead up to Britain's May election. The Conservative Party has proposed strict limits on the number of refugees offered asylum, while the Labour Party has promised to make it harder for non-citizens working in Britain to bring family members to the country, or to settle permanently.
From Green Left Weekly, April 20, 2005.
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