to be shocked that less than half of people in London are white

[Ilovecoffeeandchocolate]

I was reading the article below and was shocked to see how much this country especially London has changed over the last ten years and feel concerned that immigration is too high for what is an already overcrowded island especially in the south east!

//www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/dec/11/census-2011-religion-race-education?intcmp=239

[catgirl1976geesealaying]

Sure it's been said but

So what?
Who cares?
Why are you shocked?

You do know not all British people are white and not all white people are British don't you?

I wasn't born here but I am white. Am I ok to stay?

[Iggly]

What are you on about Cozy?!

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

OP - as well as addressing my joky point about coffee and chocolate, could you address the following:

1. The fact that nowhere in the article does it say that less than half of the people in London are white.
   
2. Your apparent assumption that all non-white people are immigrants.
   
3. The fact that you find your made-up statistic 'shocking' rather than, say, 'surprising' or 'interesting' or even, heaven forbid, 'positive' or 'encouraging'.

[Abra1d]

There is a ripple effect, gordysloves. One population moves into urban areas and another population moves out. As you say, generally more affluent white people moving out. But they wouldn't be moving out in such numbers (even allowing for increased divorce, more single-person households, etc) if it hadn't been for such large immigration. People have to live somewhere. Sadly, in this case, it's on a pretty, grade two agricultural field formerly providing this country with food.

[Delayingtactic]

Grrrr. I'm actually one of those statistics. What exactly so surprising about that statistic? Do you know what percentage are non white British? If it was 40% (so 85% being British) would you have made that comment? I'm guessing not.

[Delayingtactic]

45% of New York City are white Americans. So we are pretty on par with them.

[MardyArsedMidlander]

'People have to live somewhere. Sadly, in this case, it's on a pretty, grade two agricultural field formerly providing this country with food. '

If all the empty houses in this country were refurbished, then there would be even less of a housing problem. It has always been the case that when people make some money, they want to move out of the city. However, I believe that the rise in single person households make more of an impact than immigration.
And of course, rich people buying up all the cute little labourer's cottages as second homes so the actual villagers can only afford to buy two bed new builds on new estates.

[Iwillorderthefood]

So how many people are leaving? Immigration enables us to function as a country, without immigrants Britain would be a whole lot worse off.

I hope the attitude towards various ethnic groups and in particular mixed marriages and mixed heritage children continues to be more positive. I am in such a marriage and have such children, and one of our main stumbling blocks to moving out of London is a concern over racism. DH background is however one of ethnic persecution and therefore we are always sensitive to this.

[DoingitOnTheRoofTopWithSanta]

Would be curious to know the percentage of white English speakers in say Benidorm OP.

[Abra1d]

I entirely agree about the weekend home owners who visit perhaps one weekend in 20. They are a blight in our village and if we could force them to rent or sell their houses instead of leaving them empty, we wouldn't need all these new houses. Sometimes I walk through our village at night and see house after house empty, no car, curtains drawn.

But of course building these houses will make developers money. So that's OK.

[gordyslovesheep]

so it's snotty Brits refusing to integrate causing the housing issues !

and yes MONEY that is also a big factor ...Immigration I am afraid is a big white elephant way down the imagined list of reasons green belt land is being built on

[AmberLeaf]

Love advanced search.

OPs full of it IMO

[Nancy66]

Makes sense and, I'd say, pretty representative of the way it is in most capital/major cities of developed countries.

Strange to think two ends of a small country can be so different though.

I was in Harrogate recently. For ages I couldn't put my finger on what felt weird about it. Then I realised. Everyone was white. I think it's the whitest place in the UK actually.

[DoingitOnTheRoofTopWithSanta]

swarthy knaves on my way to market.

Mrsdevere me either :(

dinkybinky How are Polish in the UK illegally?

[DoingitOnTheRoofTopWithSanta]

I love how someone can start a deliberately racist Op then wait pages to forget to mention that actually they are neither white nor British.

If you think immigration is a problem what do you think should be done aboutt it OP?

[BoffinMum]

God, who even cares?

[Nancy66]

I don't think the OP was being racist.

[Alameda]

I LOVE that blue mountain coffee, it has something magical in it.

Only 4.7% of people in my post code were not born in the UK, which is not how the racists perceive things. Apparently we are overrun by that 4.7% of Polish nursery workers and taxi drivers etc

[gordyslovesheep]

no Nancy66 - the OP getting a twist over the rising number of black people ...not at all racist!

[Nancy66]

yes, that would be racist but she didn't say that.

[StarOfLightMcKings3]

So go and live somewhere less crowded then OP!

[DoingitOnTheRoofTopWithSanta]

No you wouldn't nancy

[gordyslovesheep]

no she's in a twist that 'over 50%' are not white - which is totally different ...not at all

[AfterEightMintyy]

Haven't read whole thread. Does op actually live in London?

[giveitago]

Ilove - your post says that less than half are white british. I guess that's right but the majority of people in london are white at the same time due to european immigration.

The world has opened up and many people can settle in different countries. That's what's happened and the figures reflect this.