Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To not like this Idea of a new multicultural Britain

789 replies

monkeyfarm · 12/12/2012 10:55

I suspect this probably won't go down too well but I'm just being honest as I'm interested to see if I'm the only one who feels this way?
I hate how things are changing, how I can be in a store feel like I'm in eastern europe, why are we one of the only countries that do this? why can't we take a leaf out of the book of Australia and open our doors to people who have something to contribute and not just all and sundry?
Am I on my own in feeling this way?

OP posts:
ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 14/12/2012 08:08

drizzlecake I could not agree more. Very well put.

drizzlecake · 14/12/2012 08:15

Wow, thanks Zombies. I expected a bashing from the multicultural luvvies. no doubt that will follow

EIizaDay · 14/12/2012 08:17

Am listening to LBC radio on internet just now and this very subject has come up. Interesting listening!

topsi · 14/12/2012 08:31

By 'they' I refered to imigrants of any nationality, race or colour. They are all welcome as far as I am concerned but as long as they have something to offer!
I know lots of people from a variety of different countries who have come here to work and contribute.
However I also hear lots of stories first hand of people born in this country going back to their parent's country of origin and marrying someone they have met once or twice before, bringing them back here to then have a zillion kids which the rest of the population is expected to look after!

Eliza22 · 14/12/2012 08:43

Thing is, we're ALL immigrants, aren't we?

Being very pale and blonde, my guess is, I'm from Nordic (Viking) stock ancestry myself. The Romans brought my ex-husband's lot in (I think) as he's swarthy dark with black hair and only glances at the sun to go brown. My son has the auburn colouring of his (way back) Irish ancestors. William the Conqueror brought a load of French types here, in 1066. We're the culmination of hundreds and thousands of years of "immigration" aren't we?

And we "British" (in the way you mean, I think) did terrible things around the world, in the name of Empire.

Smile
samandi · 14/12/2012 08:46

drizzlecake makes a very good point. As far as I'm concerned immigrants should be prepared to integrate and respect general British attitudes if they are to be welcomed. Of course saying that makes you a target for people whose minds are so open it's a wonder they don't fall out.

The worst sexual harassment I've had in this country has all been from immigrants.

And we don't need unskilled workers who are prepared to work for £10 a day and live six to a room.

given one problem - skills shortage in the NHS - has been solved by immigration

It has also, sadly, lost several countries their own trained doctors leading to a lack of medical provision in those countries. It also staggers me that foreign doctors and nurses working in Britain are not currently required to be able to speak English.

TrazzleMISTLEtoes · 14/12/2012 08:47

Without immigration, I would be out of a job, since I help all those nasty furriners get visas.

OP I don't understand why you are getting your knickers in a twist about this now - as many have said, our country has always been a melting pot. And I love it.

wildirishrose · 14/12/2012 09:09

I brought over a Filipino housekeeper the process was very simple and easy and only took a few months to complete, in 5 years she can bring over her DD, DH or Mother and this is the problem. With every person entering the UK over the last 10 years we can expect most to bring extended family on top of all the new applications. I don?t have a problem with anyone coming here but I do think the process is too easy.

PessaryPam · 14/12/2012 09:12

It's Filipina, as she's a woman. Can I ask why you could not recruit here instead?

BegoniaBampot · 14/12/2012 09:17

I don't think it's wrong or surprising that people don't like to see a lot of change or the status quo of their country changing. Imagine most people all over the world feel the same whether it be Japan, India, Thailand or wherever. The UK has always had immigrants and emigrants. Always been a mish mash one way or another. We can't really moan too much given how we went out and populated and changed huge swathes of the world. Tis the way things are now and there's no going back.

wildirishrose · 14/12/2012 09:19

Can I ask why you could not recruit here instead?

I did recruit from here first, the agency girls were dreadful and the other girls I interviewed, around 12 of them, were here illegally.

DolomitesDonkey · 14/12/2012 09:30

Why do we need to import doctors? Do we not have adequate medical schools of our own? Are our own people "too stupid" to study medicine? No, of course not - but I believe there are problems within NHS recruitment itself (am not a doctor, but have read around the subject on thestudentroom). It's ludicrous to suggest that our own medical schools are not able to provide qualified staff.

Fwiw I work abroad in a country which is lorded worldwide as an epicentre of multicultural society and acceptance. However, they have now admitted that the fabric of their culture has been damaged over the last 15 years and are at a loss as how to "fix" it. Integration has not happened, instead there are vast swathes of cities which are no-go areas.

cherryjellow · 14/12/2012 09:41

I have foreign friends who work speak english and intergrate.... They are amazing, and im sure the type of people the uk welcome.

But i get frustrated with those who come over just to use the nhs, ( i have met plenty that have), refuse to work, dont intergrate or commit crimes. Its just a shame they give the nice hard working immigrants a bad reputation.

I think immigration is fine, but it seems out of control at the moment and not enough power to quickly remove those who shouldnt be here.

Plus Skilled workers like doctors are probably more needed in their home nations than here.

cherryjellow · 14/12/2012 09:43

When i applied for nursing there were not enough places to study for all the acceptable candidates.....

TrazzleMISTLEtoes · 14/12/2012 09:57

Wild DH, obviously; DD, again obviously if she is under 18. If she is over 18 it is very very hard to get an adult child to the UK unless they qualify in their own right. There is, quite sensibly, no reason why an adult child needs to live in the same country as their parents unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Her DM? Again, if she's lucky. Very lucky. If her DM is 65+ it is easier but still not straightforward. If she is under 65 she would only be given a visa in the most exceptional circumstances.

DolomitesDonkey · 14/12/2012 10:00

cherry I bet there were plenty of places on "lightweight subject" courses though. :(

GreenEggsAndNichts · 14/12/2012 10:01

cory You're right. People go on about unskilled labour but the fact is, if someone has trained in Poland in a trade, that training was far more thorough than the process here. The education system in this country doesn't take trade seriously.

ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 14/12/2012 10:37

wildirishrose you're factually mistaken. Only dependents can be brought across and that does not include parents or siblings, not anymore. And I don't believe in her category she could bring across any dependents any more or even get the right to remain permanently once her visa runs out.

wordfactory · 14/12/2012 10:42

Ed Milliband is going to give a speech today saying that the last labour government made serious mistakes vis a vis immigration. In particular he will concede that no where near enough was done to ensure that all immigrants integrated well and accepted UK standards of equality and fairness.

He will say that the assumption that integration would take care of itself, was misplaced.

ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 14/12/2012 10:42

drizzle I speak as an immigrant. Sadly it is people like me whose voice and intentions are not heard when people look at the immigration issue blindly and in a bigoted manner.
I want to integrate, I want to be part of the ethos, I do not want to stay in a little cultural bubble.
When I come up against people who club me as a "them" without reference to who I am as a person, it's very frustrating.

wildirishrose · 14/12/2012 11:10

don't believe in her category she could bring across any dependents any more or even get the right to remain permanently once her visa runs out.

There are quite a few Filipino housekeepers I know who have brought their DH and children (over 18) over. Its easier for them to come if they have relatives in the UK.

ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 14/12/2012 11:16

Wildirishrose I suspect that was before the laws were changed. Web highly skilled immigrants would find it difficult now to bring over a parent who had no other family except them.

ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 14/12/2012 11:17

even not web!

TrazzleMISTLEtoes · 14/12/2012 11:28

Wild it has become significantly more difficult to bring family members across as of this year.

alemci · 14/12/2012 11:30

I think it was fine until New Labour took over in 1997 and there are just too many people now ( I live in greater london) and I agree with what plodder is saying especially about the shanty sheds - a sure way to have ill health for the residents. We are only a small island. Also the other European countries do seem to encourage people to come here.

It is also a shame that the young people already here haven't been trained up and given opportunities to do some of the jobs.

Both my grandparents on my paternal side were immigrants.