To think, without upsetting anybody, we are massively overpopulated on this tiny Island??? What sensible non punitive solutions are there??

[PasstheBucket89]

Its pretty relevant with all the talk about migrant boats, priti patel saying she will make the passage unviable etc she has done some awful things, it makes my blood run cold tbh i doubt she cares about the safety of them in that boats. But, what di we do, and when suggestions are made its often motivated by hate not quality of life issues. And yes, the ageing massively adds to the overpopulation aswell, but what should we do? reasonably? this tiny Island is massively overpopulated, it doesn't benefit anyone to be crammed in like sardines like this, massively effects access to housing, healthcare, education etc, What should the gov do, not adding to the hostile environment??.

I agree we are overpopulated. Particularly noticeable when you visit countries that aren't.

We are hugely over populated and there are loads of things I’m dying to say but won’t as some may be considered controversial. All I will say is that we need to tighten up the rules on who we let in.

How about everyone saying "we are hugely overpopulated" also tells us how many children they have?

@EmbarrassedUser why afraid to state your opinion?

@EmbarrassedUser did you see the figures regarding those migrating to the UK that I posted earlier ? two thirds already come under immigration control, I wonder how many of those are students on visa's.

@Pepperwort

There are reasons Scotland is underpopulated. If you think you can build a few cities in the Highlands, do feel free to try. Don’t forget to factor in the food supplies.

Who’s talking about building in the Highlands? Glasgow is pretty well the only city of any size in Scotland. Surely the other Scottish cities would welcome investment and more people to create local demand? Or depressed cities in northern England? It must be possible to shift some of the population out of the SE. Encourage migrants with get up and go to head north? We grew up with Italians and Germans who’d stayed in Scotland after being POWs in the war and opened local businesses.

I just don't think it is helpful to lump all migrants coming to the UK together. Or to pretend that the vast majority of immigrants are under immigration controls.
In the figures are highly skilled and needed workers and their dependent children, UK nationals returning to the country, students. Do we not want any of these people ? What percentage of total immigration figures do all these people make up ?

Ooops ! should have said Or to pretend that the vast majority of immigrants are not under immigration controls

Why, DameFanny? For the record, 2. Like most people I know I had them much later than my mother had hers, because I couldn’t afford them earlier. I factored that in, you see. No plans for more, and rather concerned for their future given Brexit. I would actually support population controls in Britain - the same controls for all - but I will not agree with anyone who says being Anglo-Saxon and having children is a racist act.

I’m not Scottish, but you have to ask whether the ‘demand’ created can be satisfied locally.

@DameFanny

I have one child, a 15 year old. I will not be having any more. Is that acceptable?

We’ve seen how well populations in northern - or Midland cities create demand nowadays. Have you not heard about the Leicester factory paying less than minimum wage? It is not an isolated case.

It sounds awful to say (and I'll probably get huge backlash for this) but many bypass other "safe countries" to come for our welfare system. I can see why, they can get good, safe housing, free healthcare and a job.

Bullshit.

Illegal immigrants don’t qualify for benefits.
We have a very small number of asylum applications compared to some other European countries.

You’ve swallowed a load of utter nonsense spouted by racists

@Deathgrip

It sounds awful to say (and I'll probably get huge backlash for this) but many bypass other "safe countries" to come for our welfare system. I can see why, they can get good, safe housing, free healthcare and a job.

Bullshit.

Illegal immigrants don’t qualify for benefits.
We have a very small number of asylum applications compared to some other European countries.

You’ve swallowed a load of utter nonsense spouted by racists

It's not racist to not want more people in the country. Its also not racist to not want to help asylum seekers.

You could level accusations of being unkind or even a lack of humanity, but that is not intrinsically to do with race. It is this careless labelling that you are using that led in part to the Brexit mess (and I'm a remainder) - we mustn't conflate debates or toss around insults without justification. It diminishes attempts to combat real racism, which is an active and present evil which still needs addressing.

[quote OhhhPeee]The birth rate is falling and we will be entirely dependent on migration within 100 years.
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/health-53409521[/quote]
This, overpopulation is moaned about constantly but not many of us consider that one day we will be old and will need working people to support us.

I for one do want to be working when I'm 70.

" I will not agree with anyone who says being Anglo-Saxon and having children is a racist act."

Not what I said @Pepperwort and a disingenuous reading

I fundamentally disagree, but that’s your right.

What that previous poster said is demonstrably inaccurate rhetoric fuelled by a fundamentally racist media and government (and society).

These same people don’t treat white, English-speaking immigrants from Australia and America the same way, even if they are flouting visa laws. Your argument that it’s not related to race or ethnicity is naive in my view.

I don’t want to get into an argument of semantics - the type of person who “doesn’t want to help asylum seekers” isn’t worth any energy anyway. Whether it’s racism, xenophobia, a lack of empathy or whatever the reason.

It’s very easy to be critical, I can’t imagine what these people would do if their most realistic option for survival is putting themselves and their families into a crowded inflatable boat. Most brits have never had to make such an horrific choice, and likely we never will. The idea that they are doing this for financial gain is utterly absurd and demonstrably untrue. Would you get into an unsafe vessel to cross the sea for a place in hostel and £37.75 a week each? How shocking would your life have to be make that decision?

The reason that Germany has the highest number of asylum seekers is because they are one of the countries who grant the highest percentage of asylum claims. If you’d fled your home country in a dinghy, you’d also want to head for the countries that are most likely to let you stay. This is not rocket science.

Who’s talking about building in the Highlands? Glasgow is pretty well the only city of any size in Scotland. Surely the other Scottish cities would welcome investment and more people to create local demand? Or depressed cities in northern England? It must be possible to shift some of the population out of the SE. Encourage migrants with get up and go to head north? We grew up with Italians and Germans who’d stayed in Scotland after being POWs in the war and opened local businesses.

I think the point being that we may have a lot of empty land in the UK, but its not actually inhabitable or you can't build on it.

It's not as simple as saying, people should move to under populated northern areas. People don't stay in those areas because all the jobs are down south. There already arnt jobs in many northern towns. You want more unskilled workers to move there. That will make the problem worse.

We actually need business to be more evenly distributed. Do that and people and wealth will start to more evenly distribute itself. Post lockdown we have the opportunity to do that. But it won't be encouraged because Boris and chums won't want their London property investments to lose value when everything moves out.

This, overpopulation is moaned about constantly but not many of us consider that one day we will be old and will need working people to support us.

But there is no guarantee that those crossing the channel on a dingy will go on to work in a care home.

That is why we need controlled immigration. You can't just let anyone that fancies coming here in.

It’s very easy to be critical, I can’t imagine what these people would do if their most realistic option for survival is putting themselves and their families into a crowded inflatable boat. Most brits have never had to make such an horrific choice, and likely we never will. The idea that they are doing this for financial gain is utterly absurd and demonstrably untrue. Would you get into an unsafe vessel to cross the sea for a place in hostel and £37.75 a week each? How shocking would your life have to be make that decision?

N one has crossed the channel with their family to flee poverty or war. The first boat they got into maybe. But not the one that got them to the UK.

I find most people that want to welcome migrants with open arms and claim anyone that doesn't is a racists because they'll accept Australian or US migrants, are usually the people that don't have to live side by side with economic migrants.

The fairest solution is to simply cull the over 60s and redistribute their accumulated wealth and resources.
This will not only result in an immediate population drop of 18% but will also free up housing stock and remove the strain on our health services.
Since the over 60s were responsible the population boom as well as the unsustainable depletion of Earth's resources, and since they also got to benefit hugely from it over the last few decades, it's only fair they should be the one's to make this sacrifice now and not expect their children and grandchildren to have shittier lives dealing with the consequences.

@Alabamawhirly1 That is why we need controlled immigration.

At least two thirds of immigration to the UK comes under immigration controls and I imagine as Brexit finally happens that number will increase. There has been a very big increase in the number of people coming here from non EU countries and a reduction in those coming from EU countries. People coming in boats accounts for such a teeny tiny proportion of immigration, especially when you consider that not all of them get to stay.

People coming in boats accounts for such a teeny tiny proportion of immigration, especially when you consider that not all of them get to stay.

We don't actually know how many as the majority just disappear and work in the black economy.

Just because their numbers are small, it doesn't mean it should be allowed. It's a crime to enter a country illegally. We don't allow other crimes just because the intences are small.

Why? @DameFanny i will have had 3, very spaced out, all the same dad, married, tax paying, won't be in receipt of child bills benefit, like another poster said why should native people be deprived of their human right toa family within reason, especially when the birth rate is falling.

@wagtailred

No takers for renting a bit of France then.

I love that idea. Better weather and less effort to smuggle wine across the border.

The rent would be too high though and take 150 years to plough through the official red tape.

@DBML just curious what job is that and what country?

"Today 07:25MistressMounthaven

@Binswangers- but then all the immigrants need GPs, schools etc - that was what caused Brexit in the first place. Too many moving here, no provision."

Agh!!! These people are non EU migrants. Brexit will only increase the flow of these people as we are less able to work coherently to deal with the route causes and will loose the legal right to return to first country of entry once the transition deal ends! Wow some of the answers here explain why the country is in the state it's in! Rather a shame the Brexiteers just removed my right to live and work in 26 other countries.