How to deal with the flag flying

[Slightyamusedandsilly]

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/176g9ybzKD/

This bloke has got it right! I'm going to order a bunch of other flags and put them on the local lamp posts that the neighbourhood racists are monopolising!

Good point about what every single one of us costs the state. I think it very likely that many of these flag flyers are costing us a fair amount themselves!

Even for highly skilled migration, you need to consider the consequences on the whole country, not just that job in isolation.

So a research scientist in a niche area - where those skills don't exist in the UK, and wouldn't be otherwise be developed in our young people - who elevates the level of research and brings that into industry? Perfect.

A doctor - fantastic if it's an area we have a shortage in But not if it means that a young doctor the UK has spent £200k to educate doesn't get a training position. That's probably less good for the UK. The medical-degree-edicated would-be doctor who is already here, along with all their dependents ends up in a less productive job instead of being a doctor - so the net result to the UK is exactly the same as if the immigrant came in to do the job the would-be doctor ends up doing. Well worse, since it has reduced opportunities for our children. We need to bring in the right number.

It's not racist to think this through carefully, and make sure our immigration rules are defined to benefit the UK.

These are fair points. I don't believe in unchecked immigration but we don't have that. We have skill requirements.

I do believe in welcoming asylum seekers but again, not allowing them in undocumented.

We need a reasonable way forward but the right haven't advocated for this, they're shouting 'pop the dinghies' in the streets.

You seem to have knowledge on the subject, so what is the way forward?

Have a look at what Denmark are doing.

They have some great policies around restricted migration. A few of these are: imposing the same sustainability rules on dependents, a requirement for each person to show sustained contribution over many years in order to progress to the next stage from visa -> ILR -> citizenship, off-shore processing of asylum seekers, and only ever granting temporary asylum status (if things improve in that country, the asylum seekers must go back).

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/07/31/denmarks-migration-reset-sets-stage-for-eu-wide-rethink

www.migrationpolicy.org/article/denmark-migration-profile-pioneer

They also have a contribution-based welfare state - like most of the rest of the EU and unlike the UK. The UK's needs-based instead of contribution-based welfare model is going to sink us anyway unless we change it. But in particular, it results in migration hitting us particularly hard and fast.

Have a look at the list of occupations which qualify for skilled worker visas, by the way. Scroll past the sensible ones at the top.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations-and-codes

Do we really need more magicians, interior designers or yoga teachers?

Surely we should be training and employing our own young people to become veterinary nurses and High Level Teaching Assistants.

People say that our young people won't do the jobs - but that's not what I observe at all. Those are great careers. So is the caring industry: it's very personally satisfying with great opportunities to up-skill into specialist areas and even work for yourself.

The catch? They don't pay well. But why? Exactly because we're bribing people to come here and do an underpaid job for a few years at a net cost to the UK. It's absolutely Kafkaesque.

@lovelysunnydaytoday

Good point about what every single one of us costs the state. I think it very likely that many of these flag flyers are costing us a fair amount themselves!

The difference is that we are already committed to each of our citizens - even if they cost us money.

But we have a choice for each and every immigrant: whether we accept them into our country and our Welfare state - with all the associated costs - or not.

Incidentally, the people most harmed by our current excessive immigration policy are semi-skilled working class. I suspect that's the main group putting up flags. And they're probably not far off being financially neutral... or would be if immigration was better controlled, and there was less competition for the jobs they do.

Thanks for that. So you're not one of those 'pop the dinghies fuck em' people? You realise those people are damaging any chance at productive discourse? What do you do to tackle this?

Because when those protests occur I see the people involved and it makes sharia law look pretty good in comparison. (exaggeration but you get the point)

I certainly don't condone dinghy-popping or any other violence. But I'm pretty sure such suggestions are grandstanding hyperbole anyway - pretty similar to people saying they would prefer Sharia law

Both those extreme comments come from frustration and anger at percieved unfairness and at not having what is important to them respected. On both sides. So meeting that with more anger and emotion makes it worse. The aggressive condemnation in these threads likewise 'damages any chance at productive discourse'.

But really, it isn’t what we say on here that matters.. It's what the government does - and is seen to do - that's the only thing which will calm this.

The government absolutely has to start acting on the legitimate concerns of the majority of the population: to massively reduce excessive immigration, especially where it affects people's day-to-day lives, eg with groups of men loitering around or where much-needed housing is seen to be reserved for asylum seekers.

The government need to be seen to be taking it seriously, not superciliously minimising the impacts and sweeping it under the carpet. And they need to be seen to be actually changing policy and implementation in a significant way. The 1-in-1-out policies with France and Germany simply won't cut it: too little too late.

When you talk about people 'not advocating' for sensible immigration reform, and 'damaging any chance at productive discourse' you are of course ignoring the reality that people have been trying to do that for years.

And have been shouted down and ignored.

The Conservatives eventually started to act just before going out of power, but Labour cancelled the Rwanda scheme and made their intention very clear: to do nothing and support asylum seekers in every conflict of interest.

Not sure exactly how you expect people to advocate for themselves apart from with their voting intentions (for Reform - which you condemn them for) and through demonstrations (which unlike all other flag-waving demonstrators you also condemn them for).

@strawberrybubblegumhas anyone actually asked net tax payers what they would like to fund? Both me and my husband are comfortably within that category, we are happy to fund those fleeing war zones etc. But we don’t want to contribute to those who can’t be bothered to work UK born or not. Open borders only work without a significant welfare state. We cannot fund a welfare state anymore it needs to end before we continue to target immigrants. Ending the ballooning welfare state will also contribute to reducing the appeal of the UK

Would you like a job? Seriously we could do with someone just like you in No 10 Strawberry!

A multicultural country is a wonderful thing, welcoming professionals will always be the case, but we need to control who lives here - it’s not much to ask for! Most other countries managing it without any hand wringing whatsoever!!

First the flags, now the crosses…

This. Has anyone alluding to the so-called for star hotels been to one? They may well have been once but not now. When they are contracted as accommodation for asylum seekers, the bedrooms are fitted with bunk beds, usually two sets per room with four people sharing. They are given very basic food, certainly not a la carte as per a four star.
There is so much misinformation put out, especially on SM by people who have no idea of the conditions.

What are the crosses supposed to represent?

I and millions of others do not want to pay for any hotel stays regardless of your personal opinion of them. They should be deported immediately. It’s the only thing that is going to work.

We need a pause on all immigration - process the back log, house the poor people already here in bed sits for years on end. Look after the people that are already here, and then start again. This time with proper controls and very tough deterrents.

We do not have the money, the means or the resources to house the world. You need to stop imagining we are a very rich nation and look at the debt we are in!

I have no idea what the crosses mean either, but it’s very distasteful.

I'm on team 'display the flag' and if you are brainwashed enough to think that everyone who is flying once is a racist, it's you who have the problem.

@Slightyamusedandsilly

In your roll as self appointed white saviour, could you list the flags that are acceptable to fly.

A couple of the flags were back yesterday, on the same lamp posts as last time, so I assume same person. They lasted about 6 hours before they'd been removed (not by me). Clearly it isn't a popular opinion.

Bit triggered are you?

With the sole statistic of one road 😂

No particularly,

But as you started the thread you seem to be "triggered".

No others.