Government urged to accept HSMP verdict as minister remains defiant

Headnote

IMMIGRATION

Immigration experts have told the government to accept defeat on changes to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) and concentrate on getting its points-based system right.

The High Court last week ruled that the Home Office acted unlawfully by retrospectively applying changes to the HSMP in November 2006 to people who entered the UK before that date.

Campaigners claimed that more than 40,000 doctors, engineers and IT experts could have been forced out of the country. But although Judge Sir George Newman turned down the Home Office's request for an appeal, immigration minister Liam Byrne remained defiant and would consider filing for one.

Ansar Ali, senior solicitor at law firm DWF, said: "The government should draw a line under this matter and focus...