So what is the answer to the migrant crisis?

[fucketyfuckwit]

Just had a conversation with DH about the migrant crisis.

DH is more left wing than me (I'm more in the middle). I asked him to explain what he thinks about the migrant crisis that is in the news (as in people coming over in dinghies into Kent).

He said that we should support them as they often bring us skills and will eventually work and pay taxes.

I get that historically immigration had resulted in this but can't help but think that firstly, this country is on its knees and can't cope having to support these people and also that the I don't believe all these people have skills to offer us.

I know we lost a large number of farm workers etc through Brexit,

Without jumping on me and calling me a bigot etc can anyone please help me explain why we shouldn't just be sending them straight back?

Please just help me to understand.

Then pressure your MP to support a system where asylum claims are settled quickly. Genuine claimants get the right to work (and claim benefits) so don't need the taxpayer to support them.

Those turned down have the right to appeal, but if appeals fail (and a vast majority succeed because the courts are independent) get deported.

The 'crisis' is an incompetent government, that has successfully persuaded a lot of the electorate that 'furrin baddies' are the problem, not their own policies and failures

@fucketyfuckwit

I know we lost a large number of farm workers etc through Brexit,

If this article is to believed, there are more EU workers here now than before the Brexit vote. Makes you wonder why we have such a shortage of farm and hospitality workers.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/nov/06/brexit-blame-uk-economy-opportunity-eu

"According to the Office for National Statistics, at the time of the 2016 referendum there were 2,335,000 people born in other EU countries employed in the UK. At the latest count, this total stood at 2,389,000. The number is down slightly on the peak of 2,508,000 in early 2020 but there has been no mass exodus of EU workers."

I believe we should welcome strangers (they could be angels in disguise).

Apart from anything else they are prepared to do jobs that our general population won't do. It was so ironic when Boris had to import people from elsewhere to help with harvests - during Covid too.

What has not been mentioned this far is foreign policy. We need to stop getting involved in other countries unless we want people fleeing to end up in ours. Direct correlation between these people and our foreign policy stances.

Yup, also more efforts to make life better in those home countries so less need to come here.
Like for example beginning to pay those developing countries for all the carbon we've produced, that would be a start.

Making the world fairer is the only way...sigh...

37000 hotel rooms plus an extra 400 a day arriving.
Those 37000 rooms are just rest stops before full housing.

With rents continuing to rise those who rent will suffer.

@Sigma33 you don’t really answer many points and seem just to focus on the things you want to focus on. No I don’t think all of the people that supported the uk invasion are in the uk as asylum seekers. I don’t think we should have been in Afghanistan in the first place. You are avoiding the fact that 14% of people arriving in the UK are from Afghanistan and 50% are from Albania. What do we, as British tax payers, owe Albanian economic migrants?

Exactly.

The lack of services to UK citizens is down to the choice of the electorate. If British children are going hungry it is because the government - chosen by the electorate - have chosen those policies.

Immigration/asylum has minimal impact, and is being used to deflect scrutiny of the way we are being shafted by those in power.

@Windtunnel China and India have produced more carbon on the last twenty years then Briton in 200 years. Should they be paying to make Albania a better place to make up for the industrial revolution too?

If only

@DoraSpenlow you can find migrant figures in the ONS. The article facts are taken from there I think. It’s hardly a right wing think tank.

Then have an efficient system to hear asylum claims. Plus an independent system to hear appeals. Those who qualify for refugee status get to work and claim benefits. Those who don't get deported.

Have clear immigration routes for those who are not refugees but have skills to benefit the UK

I have no problem with that.

Process people quickly so they can work including filling the unskilled market gap for farm workers etc. As well people with skills.
Centres abroad so people can apply from safety and return anyone smuggled in to the processing centres - will destroy the smuggling market.
However those centres need to be in safe countries - not Rwanda - and if asylum successfully claimed people can come to the UK not be expected to stay in the processing centre country.

Yep

The 'migrant crisis' has been created by the government.

I haven't read the whole thread so apologies if it has been asked before but, what is the status of these Albanian men in France? are they there legally? can they claim asylum status there?

And provide refugees with the skills to contribute to the economy. For some that means converting qualifications such as teaching or medicine to UK standars. For others it may be conversational English and basic care work

standards

Homelessness is awful, but funnily enough, I never see the immigrant demographic on the streets, actually

@CourtneeLuv I do. There are lots of them 😢

Why does it matter? If they claim asylum here then process that claim and make a decision quickly. Allow an appeal, also in good time. Then agree the claim and let them work, or turn it down and deport them

Then have an efficient system to hear asylum claims. Plus an independent system to hear appeals. Those who qualify for refugee status get to work and claim benefits. Those who don't get deported.

Absolutely! In 2014 over 80% of asylum claims were processed within 6 months. Now it is less than 10%. The money being spent on accommodation and (very basic) living costs for asylum seekers is insane. Particularly when many areas have a serious shortage of workers and asylum seekers aren’t allowed to work. Get the claims processed, deport where appropriate. Then allow those who are genuine to work and support themselves. It is in everyone’s best interests to make the process quicker.

^But this is exactly the fiction I expected this that to go, from yells of "British first" - coincidentally echoing a dangerous far- right grouping - to selective blindness. The DM had done a great number in misinformation, but nobody really cares to question the narrative.

I'm out before I say what I really think of some people posting here^.

Completely agree @Quveas

£150 a night to keep them in hotels.
where i work we are paying £40 night for homelessness accommodation. We are overspent by £1.5m. That will have to be paid by council tax payers. How is that fair? We just don’t have the financial resources to be paying £7m a night.

The problem isn't immigrants or asylum seekers. It is an incompetent government that tries to deflect from its failures onto immigrants and asylum seekers

£150 a night to keep them in hotels.

So process the claims quicker. Less money on hotels, more money on taxes from employment. I think we all agree that spending on long term accommodation in hotels is daft.