Warm words from Cameron on immigration

I am an immigrant.

I think that any immigrant who is found guilty of a crime at any level should be kicked out for good ......

Scaryteacher How on earth did you manage to get a polish person with a russian accent??

Cameron is a politician. There are elections 3 weeks away. He thinks there are votes in it. I would not be suprised if Camerooney agreed to allow V. Cable to make the anti statement for the Liberals...I wonder what it would take for Nick Clugg to stop propping up the Tories. ?

In truth the Tories could survive without Clegg and co for a couple of years

Not always that easy Hammy. I currently live in Belgium and was working full time teaching before I moved here. Finding Flemish classes in Cornwall was impossible.

The Flemish classes here are heavily subsidised - 60/80 euros for a terms classes and they are weekly and 3 hours a time, so good value for money. I think I might pick up French next year to refresh my A level and help ds with his IGCSE.

The point is really that if settling in the UK is conditional upon learning English when you are here, then it's a worthwhile investment as there isn't that barrier between some of the women who come here and never learn English and the community they live in. Make it a formal qualification and tie it to residency and you'll get people learning bloody quickly.

I employ a Polish cleaner here, and we converse in her murderous French with a Russian accent, and my A level French and we get by. She has had to learn to live here, so perhaps the immigrants to the UK who don't learn English should do the same.

LFN - this is an area in which we disagree. Whilst at a local community level immigration might cause problems - economically it is very much a good thing for the UK as a whole.

Here is an excellent Adam Smith Institute article on the subject.

Immigration restrictions make us poorer

And this from their Press Release response to Cameron's Speech.

"Fears that immigration creates a drain on the welfare state are misguided. Immigrants contribute more in taxes than they use in services. Home Office research suggests that is equivalent to 1p off the basic rate of income tax. Immigrants don't drain the welfare state, they subsidise it.?

Why should the taxpayer fund ESOL classes? If you are going to be of any value to the UK, surely you have the wit & means to learn English without taking handouts?

It would work, scaryteacher. Unfortunately though the funding for ESOL classes was cut by the last govt. A shot themselves in the foot moment methinks.

It depends on how immigration is handled. The UK could learn some lessons from the Belgian system, compulsory language lessons in some cases and there are normally no translations into any other language; all business is conducted in Flemish/French (or English if you start in Flemish to show willing).

I, slug, am an emigrant who left blighty to get away from snidey types such as longclaws. Apologies for her. We're not all like her although MN seems to be populated at present by uptight nasty right wingers. Enjoy!

lol nepkoztarsasag

I am the daughter of an immigrant. OP you'll be pleased to hear my mother has migrated again to another country. Because she is a scientist and couldn't get a decent job here as UK universities are so underfunded.

How, exactly, did the Labour party go "out of its way" to let in bogus asylum seekers and extremists? Did they bus them in from overseas? And why would they do that to garner votes when asylum seekers aren't allowed to vote?

Or are you just talking out of your hat again?

I am an immigrant.

"Tenets of British society"....ie rank hypocrisy and petty mean spiritedness as exemplified so well by longclaws? Just as well we give refuge to so many ousted and current despots from oil rich countries then.

i agree with immigration however there has been far too much for years. too much doesn't and isn't working, i see it on a daily basis as i live in the middle of it. too many people milking the system, too many people not integrating, too many ghetto areas. a shame, as it has made it harder for people who genuinely need to come and live here and want to be a part of british society

I agree in general that immigration policy should discriminate in favour of the wealthy and talented.

But for poorer newcomers, there's surely a profitable business to be established in melting them down and sellling off their body parts on the internet?