Leave Woolas to get on with job — MPs

FELLOW Labour MPs have been rallying around Phil Woolas, with some claiming he had been gagged after outspoken comments.

The Oldham East MP, recently appointed Minister for Immigration, has been mired in controversy this week.

He first said that immigration would have to be cut to make sure jobs went to British workers as the recession bites, and then predicted the disestablishment of the Church of England, saying that Britain had become a multi-faith society.

It was claimed Whitehall had described the comments as a car crash, and that Home Secretary Jaqui Smith had stepped in to prevent Mr Woolas appearing on BBC One’s “Question Time”.

However, both he and Ms Smith hotly denied the charge. They retorted that Mr Woolas had been forced pull out because of his workload but would appear on the programme in a few weeks’ time.

Some MPs were last night claiming he had been gagged and called for him to be left alone to encourage debate on the important issue.

Government whip and Wharley MP John Spellar said many members and communities were backing Mr Woolas’s comments.

He said: “I wish him well in the resistance of the Home Office. It is very clear he was pushing the right policy.

“Liam Byrne made some huge changes and Phil is taking that work on. It will be widely welcomed.”

When asked if Mr Woolas had been gagged Mr Spellar replied “yes.”

Bassetlaw MP John Mann said: “What Phil has been doing and saying has the backing of every ex-mining community in the country.

“He was absolutely right and he is speaking for the people of Britain and the Labour party.

“My Labour Party is totally behind him and so am I. We need more people of his calibre running the country.”

And Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle added: “I think it is only right that minister reflect what people are talking about.

“He must continue to listen, and give rational judgment. He was born into an area where there was a high ethnic population and went on to represent a constituency with a high ethnic population.

“Phil does understand the conversation and can reflect it.”

Philip Davies, the Conservative MP for Shipley, said: “What he has been saying is absolutely right and it is a shame the rest of Government does not give him the support he deserves.”

But there have also been plenty of critics. Lib-Dem home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne said Mr Woolas had made an extraordinarily cack-handed start as immigration minister.

Mr Huhne added: “Phil Woolas has taken up more positions on immigration than someone in training with the Kama Sutra.

“He has only been in the job two weeks but he has already managed to cause more chaos in less time than any of his predecessors”.