As Britain continues with its unprecedented and turbulent political climate, it is quite easy to forget that we were in the middle of party conference season and that it seems likely that a general election is just around the corner.

With that in mind, we thought it would be useful to summarise the policy position of the main parties (UK-wide ones only) to see what the future might hold, depending on how they perform:

Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats consider that the public attitude towards migrants has become more negative and place the blame for this with the policies of the current Conservative government and the rise of the hostile environment.

At present, the key policies they offer include limiting the powers of the Home Office and placing their responsibilities elsewhere to keep policy away from practical implementation e.g. international students would become the remit of the Department of Education. They also wish to dismantle the hostile environment and to place a strict 28 day limit on immigration detention. They also want more flexibility within issuing of visas for skilled workers.

Labour

Labour conference passed a radical and far-ranging immigration policy that would call for the scrapping of all detention centres and extending the right to vote to all living in the UK, regardless of nationality. They would also seek to remove the inability of migrants with limited leave to remain to access public funds.

As well, like the Liberals, as intending to remove hostile environment policies, Labour also wish to challenge how immigration is used as a political narrative and to focus on the benefits it brings to the UK.

The party has also called for a broader family reunion policy for refugees, which would allow child refugees to be reunited with their parents.

Conservatives

The Conservatives, although they have been predominantly focused on European free-movement and Brexit, have given some idea as to what might be expected from them in the future.

Last week they announced the revival of the popular ‘Post-Study Work’ visa and issued a white paper at the end of 2018, indicating that they would scrap the cap on foreign workers as well as lowering the required skill level for those seeking to enter. A new 12 month visa for low-skilled work is also being considered.

Some recent initiatives such as the new Start-Up and Innovator visas have not made the impact yet that might have been hoped with a very low uptake. It remains to been seen whether this will continue in their current form.

Brexit Party

The Brexit party are committed to reducing levels of migration to the UK, considering that high levels suppress wages and limit opportunities for British workers. As such, they intend to create a strict skills requirement which they consider will be of benefit to science and healthcare industries.

Aside from their commitment to ending free movement and a ‘clean’ Brexit deal, they have announced relatively little about specific policies.

The Green Party

The Green Party understandably have an environmental ideology and are pro-immigration as long as it does not harm the ecology of the UK. They take issue with the current restrictions on sponsoring foreign partners and spouses to join family members based in the UK and would seek to make this system less onerous.

Detention of those without immigration status would not be permitted except in situations where that person poses a significant risk to the public.

An amnesty would be offered to migrants who have been in the UK unlawfully for over 5 years. The current amount of time under present rules before this can be considered is 20 years.