What's your thoughts on asylum seekers?

@Turbottimes no I completely agree that not everyone who immigrates or seeks asylum is like this. Unfortunately I am not 100% clued up on the current vetting process so I wouldn’t want to give my opinion on something I don’t know LOADS about
But I do agree that the immigration/asylum seeker vetting should be stronger, for example think similarly to America or Australia. It should be an instant no for anyone who has a criminal record.

Again I don’t completely want to talk about something I’m not 100% sure on. But from what I know we have a more relaxed process than the likes of Australia, when actually we could be using Australia as a good example to follow. You have to prove why you would be a beneficial addition to Australia and you have means to provide for yourself.

For heaven’s sake, the DM is a disgusting rag with a long and inglorious history of right wing propaganda and conspiracy theories, fake news, failing to check facts, and generally low credibility.

https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/daily-mail/

Of course, people can ‘read whatever they like and make up their own mind’, but they’re not likely to have much mind to make up if they think the DM is in any way a credible source of information.

Do you seriously not find these kind of high streets depressing as all hell?

It's an indictment on the planning and business taxation system if the only shops that can flourish are ones that are clearly a front for something else. Sorry, nobody buys that many phone cases.

Another great story
There is a middle eastern man that owns the baguette shop in the area my parents live, I have been going to this shop for over 20 years. Myself and my whole school would go before school, on lunch break and after school to get food. Often the area in which his row of shops was would be an area after school fights would break out between school, for most of us this was just our usual route home and if we ever did accidentally end up getting caught up near it (I think he closes around half 3/4 from memory), he would open his shop door for us to come in and keep safe before it all was over

What's this bullshit that if one reads Daily Mail is racist?! If you read The Guardian, are you communist? If you watch BBC are you antisemitic?
When did people become so small-minded? People can read/watch whatever they want and make up their own mind

Some people take massive advantage of the asylum seeker status. And some people absolutely lie about it and abuse the system. It's not their fault. It's the system's fault. The system lost control many years ago.

Main sources thus far: The Daily Mail, The Telegraph and 'National World'.

This is great, and I too have met wonderful British citizens who started their life here as asylum seekers or immigrants but they are not all like this are they? Do you think we should be allowed to pick and choose who we give permanent residence too? What criteria would you use?

@AIBot honestly it disgraceful and opening up a disgusting conversation between the racists that hide behind a username nobody would know is them.

So instead I am going to continue to discuss the WONDERFUL experiences I have had or witnessed with people who have migrated to the UK.

I found myself in hospital not so long ago when in A&E which as we all know is normally a bloody terrible experience. I saw probably around 5-6 different medical workers throughout my 6 hours there and I’d say 30% of them were what we would class as “immigrants” and in a time of complete destress for me, I have never in my life been met with so much care and compassion. Many of which went out of their way to make sure I was okay. A lovely Jamaican nurse who had been with me in the beginnings (first hour or so) took it upon herself when she had finished her shift and clocked out, to come back to me and check everything was okay and to say she was going home now but I was in the best place I could possibly be with the best people for it - and she wasn’t wrong. We’re all these people British born… no they were not.

I also have a next door neighbour who is originally from India and often if he sees my car is dirty (which is most of the time) when he is out washing his car, he will also wash mine too. Just because he wants to, he doesn’t get anything in return.
Same neighbour will bring over Samosas and Pakoras that his wife has cooked on Diwali which is honestly my favourite thing ever.

My friend has a builder work for her family who is from Pakistan and he often bring them tubs of food for dinner that he’s made. He lives here on his on own and has for years, his family live in Pakistan and the money he earns he sends over to them to support their life there. My friend and her mother often have him over for dinner as he has nobody else family wise here. He attends all of her family birthday parties… the met through pure chance. He also worked for one of my other friends for a while and gave her £50 when her son was born to welcome the new addition.

If you have papers and can prove in a rock solid case that you have come from a place that is unsafe or you face persecution, fine. Asylum should be granted. If not, you should be immediately deported. We need to be much, much stricter. If you are being bombed out of your homes then asylum should be granted. If you as a bisexual Iranian, I have much less sympathy. Sounds harsh.

Why are you so surprised?

wow

It has everything to do with a Government that can't get a hold of illegal and legal migration. Genuine asylum whatever that is atm has been lost due to a loss of control on are borders I'm afraid.

@Lynds778 send them all home!! our country cannot afford to keep them! remember, charity begins at home, not on the beach at dover!!

Who do you think should be classed as "rich"?

( Not sure what that has to do with "cookies" though 🤔)

What are your thoughts on people who start disingenuous threads on Mumsnet about asylum seekers?

I am so sick of racist dog whistle threads being started on here.

Your dad sounds like a wonderful man. The NHS works crumble without it's workforce of people who weren't born here. About 20 percent I'm sure

And you know for a fact that these people are Asylum Seekers?

Your father sounds wonderful and a real asset to the country. I'm so sorry he suffered abuse.
This is exactly it, it's very rare to hear people talk of the benefits of immigration or give examples of the good done by immigrants.

This.

Supporting the charities of one’s choice directly is a much better way to help the causes one believes in than voluntarily paying more taxes. Those taxes could go towards anything and in the present climate are not very likely to help people seeking asylum.

Ooh yes!

And how about the white British tradies (I’ve encountered a fair few boiler engineers, plumbers, painter decorators) over the years that asked for payment “cash in hand so the tax man doesn’t get me hahahahaha” while I look at my payslip and see almost 3k in tax and NI contributions chopped from my wage (1st generation immigrant here btw, not that it should matter but thought I’d share for those who hate us)

I’m finding this hard to follow as there are two different discussions here, immigration and asylum seekers and they are two different things.

I will add on the immigration side of things
My father was an immigrant from Africa, he came over when he was 17 on a scholarship. He went to college, went to university, got a degree and became a pharmacist. My dad is one of the most kind hearted men on this planet, he would work an 8 hour day and when pharmacy drivers were off he took it upon himself to go and deliver prescriptions to the door of people who were in need of medication but unable to collect themselves (e.g. the elderly, people with disabilities) and he did that out of the goodness of his own heart because he cares for people. He didn’t get paid any extra for this and would end up getting home at past 9pm, when he also had a wife and 2 children. He would regularly get abuse over the telephone from patients because of his accent. He is the most helpful, caring man I’ve ever met. If I can be half of the person my father is, I’ll die a happy person.

There is always just a massive bias towards immigrants coming to the UK to scrounge of the benefits but I know so many that contribute so so much to the community and work bloody hard.

But these small businesses are thriving because the more traditional high street shops can't survive anymore. What would you prefer? Boarded up shops? I don't use vapes or get my nails done but I don't mind the existence of these shops. Millions of people use them. DH and DS go to the Turkish barber and love it, so I have no complaints.

You can't say "I'm not racist" and then link to Daily Mail articles as your sources, it's like saying "I'm vegan" and eating a daily bacon buttie.

You’re so right. Wealthy countries need to do more. It’s so unfair that the vast majority of refugees live in countries that are poor like Chad or the Lebanon.