Stopping the boats.

[Scenicgirl]

Honest question.
When Rishi Sunak announced the promise to tackle Channel migrant crossings as one of his five key pledges at the beginning of 2023, and subsequently failed and Keir Starmer appearing not to be concerned about the numbers arriving daily, when other EU countries have taken a much sterner stance sending a clear message, why can't we stop/pause the boats?

This book is a good read:

The Lightless Sky by Gulwali Passaray. A description of his journey out of Afghanistan as a child.

I hope none of our children will ever have to suffer like this.

Oh come on surely you don't believe this racist colonialist old tosh. Please think for a minute.

It's British ancestors that caused most of the problems! The world would be a much better place if Britain had never had an empire

I'm in full agreement re your remark about the traffickers, it is definitely those who need digging out and dealing with, but as for my reference to "the boats" that is what we are seeing arriving to our shores and since I'm not on 1st name terms with the occupants, it is merely a turn of phrase and not meant to cause offence.

Yes it makes you realise why it's mostly men that make the journey. Also the impossible situation he came from. And horrific and embarrassing how he was treated when he got here

Just to add to my comment. Millions of Muslims and Indians died fighting for Britain in world war 2. Google if you don't believe me. So this great war effort depended on sacrificing the lives of those we'd colonised. If we're going to feel so smug and superior about winning a war nearly 90 years ago we should acknowledge that it was won, in part, due to the sacrifice of Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs.

Yes, but if we gave the migrant people all the jobs to do that our young people won't do then surely we would be accused of doing the same, so on it goes.
We can't turn back the hands of time but we really cannot win!

Whilst I support looking after asylum seekers and refugees and doing our bit to help people escape hideous conditions in other countries, we do have to look at the impact of how we treat these people.

I have not experienced it myself, but I do believe those who say that there has been a problem in their communities with large numbers of single men being kept in large hotels or hostels without any work or activity. It is a breeding ground for crime and drug-taking for those who are that way inclined. Of course many asylum seekers will be law abiding. But I am not going to pretend that these set-ups are not problematic for some communities.

There is a significant minority who do cause problems in their local community, whether that is by theft or sexual crimes. Asylum-seekers are not all saints and are as flawed as the rest of us. But I maintain the majority are decent people.

We need to give these people some kind of employment and keep them busy as their cases are being processed.. We need to speed up rehousing. Careful thought needs to be given as to where these people relocate, and housing hundreds of young men together without employment can be a recipe for disaster.

How much tax are you willing to invest pay to stop the boats ?

That's your answer right there.

Is it only refugees that disturb you or is it people like me that annoy you as well? I arrived on a plane and am “stealing” the job that your young people isn’t doing.

You don't seem to be grasping that is it us causing the harm.. the west supports corrupt dictators for their own benefit. The west enforces unfair trade laws that keeps countries poor. The west turns a blind eye to exploitative companies operating in developing countries. This is not a secret. There are loads of books, papers, articles about this.

As usual it's all about money with a good dose of white superiority, racism and xenophobia thrown in

I didn't suggest giving foreigners menial jobs that no one else wants? Not sure how you concluded that from my post....

Because we are soft. The U.K. government is soft on them.

Told that army accommodation isn’t good enough for them.. is for our military though funny enough. Housed in hotels with three square meals a day, medical Care and pocket money. Doing sod all, all day or working under radar illegally for extra cash.

people get so worked up over living conditions for them but not for people already here in poverty.

Any incomer should require insurance based healthcare and should be placed at best in the same style accommodation as our “temporary” accommodation for those made homeless. Not jumped to the top for a 2/3 bed house. Temp style accommodation till they have lived and worked here for X years or they can private rent. No recluse to any benefits (child benefit etc included) again till they have worked here for X years. Pay in before you take out since you choose to come and live here and where not forced by birth 😉

Yes it’s all the west, no other bad actors out there, it’s on mn a lot - remarkably posting from the comfort of the west no doubt.

Now to Sudan how are you stopping their civil war?

World war 2 was undoubtedly a high point for Britain - although the war was actually only won due to Russia and US intervention, it was Britain that stood alone against the axis of evil. It was a really good thing that our country did .

Unfortunately there hasn't been much else before or since that was any good. I really think we need to stop obsessing about this 6 year period and using it to excuse all other bad behaviour and ignorance

So much ignorance here. How much time have you spent talking with asylum seekers? Seriously tell me.

The three square meals a day are tasteless slop that is often the same every single day. The portions are tiny and often inedible.

The shared kitchens are often dirty. I have spoken to very decent families where the husband, wife and children are too scared to come into the kitchen because of the violence and substance issues from some of the other residents. Yet they often show gratitude and patience, that I bet you wouldn’t show in the same position.

Some people have £8 a week to live on.

I am sure many of them would love to be jumped to the top of the list for a three bed flat. I can tell you that here in London it is definitely not happening like that. And why should caring about asylum seekers mean you do not care about others in poverty in the UK? People with emotional intelligence can feel compassion for all groups.

This is not a life of luxury despite what the media is telling you.

Just the same as I'm not quite sure why you thought I was criticising you, how would I know you had come to this country?
Plus, since most of them don't speak english, what line of work would YOU suggest they do, a surgeon, a teacher maybe?
Come on!

World war 2 was undoubtedly a high point for Britain - although the war was actually only won due to Russia and US intervention, it was Britain that stood alone against the axis of evil. It was a really good thing that our country did .

The cost of that was our brightest, best and most capable got killed, leaving behind the dregs of intellect which we have been paying the price of ever since. And that society itself had already been cleaned of the brightest and best in the previous "War to end all wars".

But that's a different point, although it does explain the pity parade that is the current Tory leadership contenders.

I never said it’s luxury nor did I say the meals are amazing but they are given it.

London may not jump you to the front of the list but it does in my city. While our city centre is still full of homeless people sleeping in doorways. People are stuck in temporary accommodation after no fault section 21’s for months and years in some cases miles from their schools and work watching homes magically disappear off the bidding lists. Not given to someone in bidding that shows a different message screen and goes via proper process. Removed due to priority housing with is used for asylum seekers.

One of our hotels is being paid a fortune to provide exactly that food and beds.

What do you mean moat don't speak English? Most do, a minority don't.

The boats can never be stopped unless we have completely open borders. When some people will be turned away there will always be boats.

I don't support open borders btw. I don't have a solution. Just not naive enough to think it will be easy.

There's no quick way to stop a civil war, as you know. The conditions that make the war likely /possible are changeable in the long run, if the will is there.

There are bad actors from every background. People are the same the world over.

Mumsnet is a UK site. I am in the UK. There are plenty of people living in comfortable conditions around the world though who no doubt have opinions too. If you want their views I'm sure there are websites similar to this one

Are you replying to the wrong post? I was born in the UK

This is also totally shit I agree. Pitting one group of vulnerable people against another is not the answer though.

There is not enough housing. Blame the government not the asylum seekers. Right to buy etc has ruined our social housing stock. Well before asylum seekers everted the equation.

And this comment:
Pay in before you take out since you choose to come and live here and where not forced by birth 😉
I would be interested in how much you earn and if you are a net contributor. I am guessing not. Why is it ok for you to take from a system you haven’t paid in enough for? Just because you happened to be born here. On previous threads you said that your parents had a council house and lived off unemployment benefit. Why was it okay for them not to work to provide for themselves?

Your last para doesn’t make much sense but since you hold the west accountable how far would you go with it?

How many would you welcome, is it as many who would like to come?

And would you give up some personal comfort to do so, your house or a swap even