@Persephonia1966 For what it's worth, I think Freedom of Movement from the EU has caused all of this angst. It was a bullshit policy from start to finish and it was completely incompatible with a country that had a universal non contributory welfare system. We have shelled out billions in benefits to low skilled Eastern Europeans who we simply did not need to make our economy work.
What is worse, is that highly skilled people from across the globe have been treated far more harshly and have had to pay millions for visa renewals, healthcare etc. Whichever way you look at this, it's just wrong. The figures are astronomical, punitive and give the wrong message to exactly the sort of people we should be welcoming here.
Now, FOM has gone but 8.6million EU migrants applied for settled status after Brexit and the majority are from Eastern Europe. Blair allowing them access to our labour markets when the rest of Europe kept their doors closed for 7 years has been a disaster for this country. People didn't want it, resistance began almost straight away and off the back of it, we now have some very unsavoury political characters entering the field and the future looks very far from rosy. The country has changed beyond all recognition in the last 25 years, the pace and scale has been far too much for any country to cope with. The benefits bill is crippling us. No-one who comes here should be given access to anything in the way of benefits. If these people on the boats can find £xxx to buy their tickets, they can fund themselves when they get here. 39% of UK adults have less than £1000 in savings. We are giving a leg up to a lot of people who have the financial wherewithall to circumvent the system and leapfrog our own poor,. It has got to stop.
If the government don't get a grip on quality and quantity, as I said, we are looking at a Farage led government because people have absolutely had enough, and that includes migrants who have been made to jump through hoops and pay significant amounts to be here, when others have been waved through and handed benefits like sweeties.