Green paper panders to the current climate

Having just heard Home Secretary Jacqui Smith being interviewed on Radio 4's PM about the government's green paper on citizenship,I start to wander if this government is going to continue pandering to the so called "masses"

In case you haven't picked up the story

Immigrants who want to become British and settle permanently in the UK will need to pass more tests to "prove their worth" to the country under new plans.
Some migrants may also have to pay into a fund towards public services and have a period of "probationary citizenship".

( via bbc online)

This morning's Telegraph pre empted the headlines on this one with its new tax plan for migrants story

The gist being that the more a prospective migrant will use our social services,the more he or she will have to cough up.Furthermore

Full access to benefits - such as jobseeker's allowance and income support – would no longer be granted to some migrant categories until after the immigrants had been in the UK for five years.
Applicants would instead have to wait until they had completed their probationary period.(Guardian online)

Philip Johnson meanwhile points out that the announcement is yet another example of Gordon's inablity to make up his mind

Today’s Green Paper on Citizenship published at 12.30 said the following: ''We are currently consulting on whether those seeking a marriage visa should also be expected to demonstrate some level of English ability.’’
Yet just a few hours later, in a speech delivered to the IPPR think tank, Mr Brown said: “We will introduce a new English language requirement for those applying for a marriage visa and planning to settle in the UK - both as part of our determination that everyone who comes here to live should be able to speak English and to make sure that they cannot be exploited.”