Lib Dem policy on immigration

It makes me very sad that a fair number of people whose doors I knock on to ask what's their biggest concern cite, 'the problem of immigration'. But when I push them further to say who exactly they mean, it's usually the case that their feelings stem from frustration with the unfairness and inequalities of our society.

I explain to them that I think people who want to come here and work and pay taxes, and are needed by employers, are helping us all out. People like my godmother Jude who came from Jamaica in the 1960s to work as a nurse and has stayed and raised a family here. 'Oh I don't mean people like that,' is the usual response.

But then what about the people who come here seeking asylum because, if they stay in their country, they and their family are likely to be tortured raped or killed? 'Oh not genuine asylum-seekers', is the reponse again. Well what about the women trafficked here illegally - the sex workers or illegal domestic workers. 'I blame the traffickers', comes the response.

When you unpick it, most people share Liberal Democrat views on immigration and asylum - which is that immigrants have contributed enormously to our society through their work in schools, hospitals, public transport and other industries.

And that like other countries around the world we have a responsibility towards people fleeing persecution. And that we need to prioritise deportation of criminals and people traffickers, rather than their victims. We need though to tell the stories of these people and their families to remind people what we're really talking about when we debate immigration and asylum. And we need to make the immigration and asylum systems work better so they are fairer to everyone who has to deal with them.