3 million Hong Kong people to get asylum in U.K.?

[WakeAndBake]

Because of China’s aggressive political destruction of Hong Kong the British government is thinking about allowing up to 3 million people to escape Beijing’s yoke by moving to the U.K.

Given that HK people are generally big fans of democracy, civil rights and a western way of living WIBU for all of them to come to the U.K. over the next ten years INSTEAD of 3 million immigrants from other parts of the world?

Hasnt Boris offered them the right to stay for 12 months instead of 6 months? So what happens then? Can’t imagine many people taking him up on the offer....give up your home and job, stay in the uk for 12 months then get sent back. Sounds amazing.

It's not asylum. It's BNO - They are British Nationals Overseas already.

I think this is the best thing the British Government has done for years. It's just. It's actually smart? It's a smart move? How often does the government do anything strategic and wise any more, but they somehow have!

The thing to understand is this gives the citizens of HK a CARD to play in their negotiation with China. It doesn't mean 3 million people would move here. SAYING that - I think in terms of culture shock and longer term integration, a large number of people from HK would be easier than many places as there are so many things we already have in common from our shared Empire history and the number of people that speak English.

most grads from Hong Kong don’t learn English (they don’t need to).

Umm you do realise that most tertiary education is delivered in English in HK?

At least they're used to living in flats

The ignorance and racist stereotyping on this thread is baffling in the current climate. FFS people engage your brains before you type

They'd better not want to move here. We can't take them. It is not possible. There is not the room. There is already an acknowledged shortfall of 1 million homes. Where are you going to build a city larger than Nottingham, Derby and Leicester combined overnight?
I also think it's more about a card in political power games, but it's a total bluff, I hope.

@TheFuckingDogs

I still find it hilarious that given the state of this country some British people still think “foreigners” are desperate to clamber the ladder to be here - the facade is slipping and the global lense sees us for what we have become. We are a laughing stock to many sadly

^^ this And also, it is not refugee status or a visa - it is citizenship for those that hold or are entitled to hold BNO status

If the opinion of TheDogs is a widely held one, why would anyone want to come to the U.K.?
Could it be because the situation in their country is worse than the one they’d be going to? Or because they see it as a better prospect?

The "laughing stock" idea is an interesting expression of the odd combination of superiority and loathing that a section of our chattering class have. I can't see much evidence of it in reality.

We're just another country in the world. We have good points and bad points. We are not uniquely great or terrible. Our economy is quite large so well done us on that. But it's not the largest. Bojo is a bit shambolic, but he's not the maddest. We are not America - we don't lead the world. Most people in most countries are not much concerned with Britain - they have their own concerns. Honestly, I think this idea that everyone is pointing and laughing at us is a kind of self-importance that is really unwarranted.

@JacobReesMogadishu

Hasnt Boris offered them the right to stay for 12 months instead of 6 months? So what happens then? Can’t imagine many people taking him up on the offer....give up your home and job, stay in the uk for 12 months then get sent back. Sounds amazing.

No, he is offering them British Citizenship

..and that is supposed to do what? Force guilt trips?

I have no doubt that the - in large part - very much more wealthy people in Hong Kong who chose to stay there will be weighing up their options right now. I don't know China well, but there will be those looking to move. Britain may seem like an easier option to some, and it's true there is some obligation, although how much is open to debate. How much more obligation does the British government in London have to its own people here, whom it has deprived of livelihoods and generally treats rather poorly? The cost of living has gone up, the standard of living has fallen, and we cannot take in millions more. The island is full. I don't believe in bluffing over practicality.

I don't think it self-importance.
I think it is shame, shame on us for allowing racists to hold the agenda in this country.

That was to Tomorrowsanewday

The fact that they were only ever offered BNO passports in the first place was the disgrace. They should have been offered full citizenship in 1997. If they were white they would have been.

The idea that Hong Kongers have ever have or are desperate to come to the UK because the UK is so great is just rediculous. Having the rights to come means that China has to tread carefully as people are able to leave.

The really wealthy always have the option to leave if they choose - this is the case anywhere in the world - enough money buys you a welcome! Extending citizenship is about China being worried about the numbers of people who could just go if they wanted to.

Pretty much the first thing Boris has done I actually agree with!

About half of DHs family live in HK and have full British passports. Not one of them is even contemplating coming back to the UK and they’ve said that they don’t know anyone HKers who would take up the offer. They would all prefer American, Australian or Canadian passports.

*any HKers

I’m not saying that your points are not to be taken into consideration Pepperwort.
My reply was questioning why if in The Dogs opinion the U.K. is viewed as a laughing stock around the world would people from HK or anywhere else even be thinking about coming.

Let's start by getting 3 million people to volunteer to give up their homes for the newcomers to live in. There are so many pro immigration people who I'm sure will be eager to sign.

YAB so very fucking U because basically, you've implied that some people are more equal and more deserving than others.

Not sure they do much fruit picking though

I'll get off this thread before I write something I regret.

I worked in HK for a while. The rich people who can actually afford to leave will already have made escape plans. The ones I knew had set themselves up in New Zealand.

Johnson isn’t going to piss off China any more than he is going to piss off America. Unfortunately we need trade deals with them post Brexit so he will be bending over backwards (or more accurately just bending over) to get them

Not sure they do much fruit picking though

Not many fields and orchards in Hong Kong!

Let's start by getting 3 million people to volunteer to give up their homes for the newcomers to live in. There are so many pro immigration people who I'm sure will be eager to sign.

That has not happened so far...

The point is that the brexit architects have said all along that immigration is necessary and will continue. The difference being more people will be able to come from non-EU countries.

3 million people over ten years is about the current rate of influx so why not people from Hong Kong? If you look at the demographics of the U.K. there are very few East Asians (for want if a better descriptor), so it would also be a good thing for diversity.

Architects should have been “architects”.

And I did not vote for brexit!

The UK Government don't care about these people. They are just hoping they come here and keep house prices high. More demand = keep housing ponzi going.

I can't wait for the day when a whole portion of the U.K. population needs to escape the U.K. and looks for asylum somewhere else...because it's not something that could "never" happen!! Just think about that...how would you expect/want to be greeted and treated!!??

Let's start by getting 3 million people to volunteer to give up their homes for the newcomers to live in. There are so many pro immigration people who I'm sure will be eager to sign.
well if by “give up your home” you mean “sell it” then I’m pretty sure most of the people I know would be happy to sell their house to anyone if they have it on the market.