James Dalton, the secretary of the 5 Star Direct Democracy Party, believes that getting out of the EU is a significant issue, because once the UK is out of the EU, it will be free to make its own laws and set immigration policy.
Sputnik: How significant are these new policies relating to immigration and travel? Do they go far enough or are there still problems that remain unaddressed?
James Dalton: I don't put a lot of weight behind much that comes out of the Conservative Party because they've got a record of saying one thing and a different thing happening. It's almost amusing that they're taking on the soundbites that Nigel Farage was using in 2004/2005, the Australian points-based system, and that language was demonised by the Conservatives five years ago and now the Conservatives are using the same language to push their latest policy of a points-based immigration system.
Sputnik: One of the policies that the government is set to introduce would see special visas and conditions created for health sector workers and international students looking to enter the UK. Are you confident about this direction from the government? Will this approach from Priti Patel be successful in supplying workers for Britain’s NHS whilst also ensuring only skilled workers enter the UK?
James Dalton: It's a classic case of politicians completely conflating different issues. It's so classic of the modern-day politician. Yeah, of course we've got a problem in, for instance, nursing recruitment. Well, the foundations of these problems, again, go back to historic decisions made. If you've got a nursing recruitment problem, that problem is solved through education and strategies in schools, but immediately it's pivoted to an issue of immigration. It shouldn't be an issue of immigration. It's an issue of education and recruitment through the schools. It's absolutely ridiculous that for healthcare that we should be even considering why we should be solving that problem through immigration and not through education and training our young people.
Sputnik: On the back of Priti Patel’s immigration policies, Michael Gove on Sunday announced a new £705 mln infrastructure deal for Britain's borders amid accusations that this deal is happening too late. Is Brexit still an issue that the government is as committed to as they were in December and January? Is Brexit at risk of being side-lined by the government going forwards?
James Dalton: We've got so many structural problems, we've got so many lack-of-leadership problems in government, and we've got so many areas where the British public are having their tax money used to avoid confronting the issue. The £705-million-pound-spending-splurge announced by Michael Gove; I think what we need to see is action, and that's a culture of "this is the law". The law needs to be enforced, and people who break that law should be dealt with in accordance with the law. I think the short answer to your question it comes down to do you trust those in government to implement Brexit fully and not mess about? I guess my answer to that question would be "no, I do not trust the Conservative Party to do that". My hope is that you know those ties will be cut, we'll be out when the extension period ends, which the latest one is 31 January 2021, 4.5 years after the people gave the government an instruction to do it. I hope we'll get over the line and free our nation moving forward to be in complete charge of formulating its own laws, but do I trust the Conservative Party to do that? I'll believe it when it happens.