Immigration - can someone please explain it to me in simple terms?

[Illbeinthehottub]

So for as long as I can remember I’ve heard that there is a problem with immigration in the UK. There are headlines about it daily and it’s always an issue for government. It’s a big part of what Brexit was about.

I don’t personally understand all about it, what is the issue, is it simply than people feel immigration is putting additional pressure on services?

I’ve just seen another headline saying that Kier Starmer has lost control of the borders.

Conservatives were in power for 13 years, presumably immigration was still unacceptable to people. Now people are unhappy with Labour.

Can someone who understands explain to me a) what is the problem with immigration b) why hasn’t any government been able to have an acceptable policy that works c) is immigration just something for people to whinge about?

Polish immigrants top the list of non- UK nationals claiming benefits in the UK.

Including child benefit for children living in Poland.

Immigration is a thing that British people have done for centuries to the huge detriments of the locals. It is however considered to be a good thing.

By contrast when people from other countries do it and come to Britain it suddenly becomes a bad thing.

Well, they are doing nothing wrong. Under certain circumstances people from the EU, Switzerland and a few other places are allowed to claim child benefit (whether claiming other benefits or not) for children living elsewhere.

All this was agreed when we left the EU. So blame Brexit!

”we have not built enough houses for years”

not sure how this helps your argument 😂

we have a finite amount of space and I agree we need to squeeze more houses onto the space we DO have AND fix the second home problem in places like Cornwall…but a population the size of Manchester arriving every other year, supply simply can’t keep up with demand.

do you think there should be NO limit to the number that can come?

Two wrongs don’t make a right

@bigbird1234

do you think there should be NO limit to the number that can come?

Why do people keep coming out with such hyperbolic nonsense?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821f334ced319d02c906103/restoring-control-over-the-immigration-system-web-optimised.pdf

What I think is that they are addressing loads of this already.
However, people cannot just sit back and complain about not enough housebuilding and whinge. If you want to make a difference get involved. Get your kids to train as bricklayers etc. - do what you can personally. Don’t whinge about neighbourhood building.

I think Starmer is keen on this for dc but not everyone will be.

The other option is to have lower requirement for houses.

It pre-dated Brexit.

And I didn't say they were doing anything 'wrong' but it is 'wrong' that it's happening and I only mentioned it as you were waxing lyrical about all these hard-working immigrants using Polish as an example, putting in more than they're taking out.

When that really doesn't add up.

Because people are burying their heads in the sand if they think we have the capacity to support current levels.

Some people think there is no limit and you’re a racist if you think there is. it’s ridiculous.

The population is due to grow by 5 million within ten years. Thats around the entire population of the Republic of Ireland.

When you ask people what they think the limit should be, they realise they don’t want to think about it because it means confronting reality.

we can and should try to build more houses.

that is only one half of the equation though, it’s like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in the bottom.

even meeting the government’s housing targets - which everyone knows is impossible - won’t be enough.

Even if all our kids become bricklayers unfortunately we can’t magically grow more land

We obviously have limits on how many people we give visas to. The government have brought in restrictions on visas.

The government’s limit is clearly far too high.

but it’s still not high enough for some people who think there should be no limit, or can’t tell you a rough ball park for what a limit should be

No one thinks there should be no limit unless they're hard of thinking. We'd sink if we allowed the world unlimited entry.

I'm not sure exactly what you expect the government to do.

There are things a government can do. And likely will when voters get it together to give mandate for it.

Didn't say it did.
But perhaps if Britain hadn't interferred with,destabilized and asset stripped all over world, the people from these counties wouldn't have the need to emigrate from their homeland to a racist country which despises them.

I haven't waxed lyrical about anything on this thread, including Polish people? You are mixing me up with someone else?

Hate does tend to blind people to facts, though.

Interesting thread. It’s a very complex issue. But nonetheless, is IS an issue

It wasn’t in my lifetime and I’m sick and tired of this argument

other countries have done exactly the same. Why don’t they go there for a change

Genuinely - what WOULD a government do, without stepping outside HR legislation (to do that would erode ALL our rights, just not people not born in the UK). Think carefully, think knock on effects. Brexit threw the baby out with the bath water. Well, actually, Brexit threw the baby out (our freedom of movement and France helping filter the tide of those wishing to come here) and left the bath water here.

Honestly, I think we’re heading for re-set. Superpowers are continuing to fuel and fund wars, people rabidly hate other people and everyone just wants to grab what they can for themselves. The rich gather more and more money they can’t spend whilst the rest of us either savage each other or opt out.

There is loads in the White Paper. If they deliver that, that is plenty.
It seems some on here think we need a hard cap! Like 75000 max net a year and if not, then what? As if having a cap is any different than having the aims in the White Paper or the aims to build 300000 a year. It is just a target.
Reform cannot deliver and close the borders without crashing the entire economy. On their promises to fund everyone and their granny’s first cousin’s uncle’s dog onto benefits, will not deliver more either.
If you are so patriotic then contribute yourself. Buy British only, never order UberEat, never put your pension money into US stocks, buy British, live by what you preach. Otherwise it is just a royal waste of everyone’s time.
I am camp “opt out” of this nonsense.

The white paper is mostly legal migration and without sorting out the border issue Labour will lose support.

ETA plus the biggest drop was due to last gov, although it does help Labour claim some of it

I feel the British empire as a whole did actually a lot of good. A lot of infrastructure development and spreads the rule of law. You can see it as a form of Foreign Direct Investment actually. In history people were always conquering each other, just the British were quite successful.

British citizens don't deserve to suffer just because historically bad things happened. We owe migrants nothing.

It just seems wrong to pay child benefit for a child not actually living in the UK. Especially when the cost of living is likely much less in their country of origin. It’s costing us a fortune to employ someone. Better to use unemployed UK workers surely? I don’t think it’s racist to not want to send taxpayers money abroad. Everyone is complaining about potholes & GP waiting lists. The government have stopped winter fuel payment, maybe we need to make savings elsewhere?

Yes I don’t agree with it at all and never have done and I’m sure it’s open to abuse