The 13%

[enthusiasmcurbed]

Apparently we are losing our identity to immigrants. It's the massive figure of 13%. Now, the biggest bugbear I have with this is that my Mum came from South Africa in 1949. Just when the Afrikaans came into power and decided my Mum and her family where the wrong colour. Thank God Britain gave my family a home. God knows where I would have ended up without the UK. ( I heard this crap from my North east born, never been anywhere else £100,000 per year manager).

Blimey, all the secret racists come out of the woodwork after a few on a Friday night dont they?!

Ask the people who were practically begged to come here in the 50s from the Commonwealth. We were fucking desperate and needed them.

Bogey too much Lambrini will do that :)

Kampeki why dont you do some proper research on islam and its history of invading free societies before you roll your eyes at me? If youve done that, and still think its a laughing matter, come back and roll your eyes at me then.

In other news: this is a newspaper headline from the 1930s.

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vk.com/video88048759_159494946
Part 2 of the Immigration episode. I suggest you watch it if you want to know about "British" identity Lazy

And clearly Hermi0ne has never heard of the Crusades.......

Kampeki why dont you do some proper research on islam and its history of invading free societies before you roll your eyes at me? If youve done that, and still think its a laughing matter, come back and roll your eyes at me then.

Well, I know a fair bit about Islam having lived in an Islamic country for a while, but I'd be happy to do some "proper research" on the threats currently posed by Islam if you could point me to some peer-reviewed academic research on the subject, published in reputable academic journals. No other sources, please.

I see that you have an interest in history. You might like to research the Crusades for your next topic. :)

Hmmm... a Daily Mail feature from the 1930s.....run by known facists.

I watched a movie called Elysium the other night. It was thought-provoking.

Well enthusiasm those Jews swarming in would have destroyed our culture. I mean, you should meet my FIL! He doesn't even like cricket.

I think there is a huge amount of arrogance from some people who think the fruits we've reaped from these benefits are just there and always will be, who see no need to protect the culture that nurtured these sort events and movements because they can't see the link between a culture and the way of life those who have a particular culture end up having.

There are many, many things that I value about British culture, but these are not threatened by virtue of my exposure to other cultures. On the contrary, my awareness of my own culture - both the positive and the negative aspects - has been greatly enhanced by the many opportunities that I have had to interact with people from cultures other than my own. I find this enriching rather than threatening.

But "the 13%" isn't evenly distributed around the country, is it? Places like London, pockets of Norfolk etc have far far more than 13% non-British population. So people's personal experience of the benefits and costs of immigration can vary significantly depending on where they live. Ditto the proportion of births to non-British born mothers (which is now about 25% of all live births, and has seen a significant increase in recent years).

Yes, that's true Christine. I Live in one of the most diverse parts of the country according to the last census. I should perhaps remember that not everyone is fortunate enough to have diversity on their doorstep.

Christine I live in an area with a far higher proportion of foreign nationals than average. Doesnt bother me in the slightest. We have always been like that. In the 50's and 60's we got a huge influx of Caribbean and Asian immigrants, now we have the same but from Eastern Europe. Thats because there are a lot of manufacturing and distribution depots here (I am fairly central). Many of them are men who come for a couple of years, living shared accomodation, save up and take the money home again to start a better life back in their home countries. But some dont. They stay, work, pay taxes, have babies.....just like you and I do.

I simply do not see a problem.

Sleep How dare he!

"Immigration is a positive thing; I'm a Brit and I welcome it" works on its own, I think.

All this mongrel nation shnizzle just drives us up a cul de sac of propaganda and disagreement. Every bloody time.

(Hermione wasn't being threatening. She probably IS on glue, though)

Personally, my life is enriched by immigration: having grown up in a very monocultural part of the UK, part of the reason that I love living in a city is the vibrancy and diversity that it can bring. But I also have to accept that I am very fortunate - my job isn't open to those who aren't British citizens; I am already on the housing ladder; I earn enough to eat out at the many different restaurants on our high street; the DC have had nannies and baby sitters from Brazil, Spain and Bangladesh, as well as the UK; if the DC hadn't got into our local state school we would probably have been able to afford for them to go to a private school. Not everyone is in this position, by a very long straw.

But to label anyone who says "hang on, I feel a bit uncomfortable about the changes that are happening right now as a result - at least in part - of immigration" as a racist is what has helped UKIP gather a greater following than they surely merit.

I would like to think that British values include preferring people to be safe and dry in your own country rather than drowned or murdered elsewhere. At least that was what I understood while I was growing up.

Atenco, absolutely.

I often find it a bit rich that the people who go on about immigrants are often the same people who are proud of the British Empire. You can't surely kick off about other people coming here but then love the idea of us going to other countries and just taking stuff...

blibblobblub I think the British Empire was also useful for getting rid of the excess poor in Britain. Even Dickens saw shipping out to the colonies as a happy ending for many of his characters.

How does the current wave of immigration compare to the 1950s when we needed people from the commonwealth to work in the cotton mills in Lancashire and run London Transport LazyLohan?

My German born half Jewish mother was more British than many Brits are today. She was a staunch royalist as well.

Right-oh. Lets send them all packing shall we? See how many of our services grind to a halt. Health services, the care sector, transport, manufacturing, construction, supermarkets, hotels. We'd be fucked.

I love when idiots like your boss start spouting this shit in front of me. They soon splutter and back down when they meet/see OH. And do the 'well obviously not him'.

This is where I like to point out that despite being 'brown' he's English born and bred (his words) as were his parents/grandparents. He's most likely to make done more for his country than they have (ex-army) now active volunteer in various areas. Always worked full time etc. where as I despite being white only hopped off the plane in the '90's. And I only came to take work off you all (was activiiy recruited by the NHS).
But like the OP I find those that shout the loudest know the least.

Hermi0ne

So what you are saying is we’re slowly turning into an islamic state?? Are Muslims promoting the 24 hour drinking, lap dancing bars and drug use that seem to be prevalent in the country? Next you’ll be saying that in a generation more Muslim babies will be born than christian ones despite the fact the non Muslim population outnumbers the muslim population 24 to 1. Are you sure Mumsnet is for you? Maybe you should try the daily mail or if thats a bit tame how about Britain first.