"Send them back"

Bob Spink, Tory MP for Caste Point, Essex, is defending a 985 majority against Labour. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so Spink has been taking no chances, placing an advert in the local press:

It said: "Bob leads the fight in parliament to stop asylum cheats. If we don't act, nasty fringe parties will. Labour has tripled illegal immigration and only one in five failed asylum seekers is removed. What bit of 'send them back' don't you understand Mr Blair?"

Mr Spink last night defended the advert. He said: "That is the way people see the issue. When people are in this country illegally or are abusing our benefits system or abusing our hospitality or acting improperly in this country, then they should be sent back to their own country. Mr Blair should know that is what the people want."

He ends with a rare moment of insight:

"If the [main] political parties don't act on this issue then right wing parties will rise in popularity. That would be bad for everyone."

Fortunately, it's not happening so far.