SIR – In his letter (September 16), Peter Nielsen points out the fact that immigration policy is by and large a shambles, often based on a government’s need to be seen to be acting tough while actually doing nothing.

I agree with Mr Nielsen. Successive governments have failed on immigration, and Enoch Powell was indeed a hypocrite.

He made his Rivers of Blood speech in which he warned of grave consequences if immigration continued – yet he was happy enough to encourage Commonwealth staff to come to the UK to work in the NHS.

In short, he was criticising the consequences of a policy which he himself had initiated not long before.

However, Mr Nielsen goes on to make the blanket statement that “immigrants have contributed enormously to this country”.

He gives no facts or arguments to back that up. I wonder what contribution he means?

Some immigrants are good, some are not, some do contribute, some do not – same as any other large group of people.

Even though he supports it, Mr Nielsen seems unclear as to what immigration has actually contributed.

But for the vast majority of the population, in the UK and mainland Europe, its negative consequences are very clear.

STEVE DAVIS Worcester