The BBC's Tim Donovan has been testing opinion among Tory candidates about amnesties for irregular migrants. Boris Johnson, of course, is a notable advocate of the idea (just like Nick Clegg).
Pressed on the matter during Sunday's Politics Show, the Mayor made a game but gloriously failed attempt to paper over the massive crack between himself and David Cameron on the issue. And although Poplar and Limehouse contender Tim Archer backed his line (he's not daft), the Tory candidates in Harrow East (that zany Bob Blackman), Enfield North, Kingston, Brent Central, Hampstead and Kilburn (note dodgy graph) and Bethnal Green and Bow declared themselves against it.
Donovan found no others in support, though Cameron's poster boy Shaun Bailey in Hammersmith seems persuadable. He declined to comment either way to Donovan, but when the issue was raised at last Thursday's hustings at St Paul's church he said that although he felt the case for amnesties had yet to be made, "It would be wicked to remove people who are settled here."
I'm with Boris on this one. Poor fellow must be wondering whatever happened to that famed Tory pragmatism.
