Commitment and contradiction in immigration law
Keyword(s):
UK immigration law is changing rapidly. There have been four major revisions of the immigration rules since 1979, interspersed with numerous minor, but none the less significant, amendments. Moreover, in an increasingly complex field, litigation has flourished. Applications for judicial review have been lodged at a rate which has recently prompted the Court of Appeal to severely restrict access to the court - in all but the most exceptional cases - until the statutory appeal process has been thoroughly exhausted. One consequence of this level of activity has been that the provisions under which family members may join their relatives in the United Kingdom have changed radically during the short life of the Immigration Act 1971.