While the rest of the world is competing to attract the world’s brightest brains, it would seem that May wants us to deport the hardy souls we’re unable to deter.
Osborne simply has no political room to do anything very much. The big decisions will come after the election – whoever is in office.
There is good news and bad for all the main parties in our analysis, plus good news for the Green Party and less good news for UKIP.
When high-flying education consumers turn their backs on the British offering, the damage goes way beyond the loss of income from the individual student.
And only two in five of these respondents plumped for an end to EU free movement or exit.
Simply demanding more students – and less money to fund them – cannot work.
The answers themselves raise more questions that only a subject matter specialist who understands the physical complexities of deep sea cabling can properly comprehend.
And Ministers must also take on the vociferous student lobby.
They should be removed from the Government’s target to reduce net migration.
There are few clear answers to that question, despite all the firm rhetoric flying around. What we need is more nuance and better information.
Are we really meant to change immigration policy on the basis of the answers to a skewed question from 14 people?
Not to make it easier to get one – but to make the paperwork more simple.
A double-talking, flip-flopping, party of spendthrifts will aggravate – not salve – public mistrust of the political class.