Immigration/ brexit

[Lazykitten]

I've heard how us coming out of the EU has massively escalated the 'small boats' immigration. The figures/timeline seem to back this up. However, i don't understand why. Can someone explain it to me please (preferably like I'm a small child!). Thanks

Or you weren't listening.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/09/07/boris-johnson-brexit-opened-door-to-biggest-wave-migrants/

The thread is asking about immigration. Some are getting the figures wrong for the Dublin Agreement.

It’s all publicly available. The pp explains it clearly too.

It's asking about 'small boats' immigration.

Any evidence being out of the Dublin Agreement and the security data bases has been positive for the UK?

Im not sure that Brexit has a huge amount to do with it as I can't remember France ever taking back any asylum seekers prior to Brexit. I am guessing that now we have left the EU, the French are probably reasonably happy for asylum seekers to leave France as it makes their asylum seeker numbers lower. It seems that the boat route has become the route of choice and if you are able to get to the UK via boat then you stand a good chance of being able to stay . Once we left the EU the conservatives seemed to be pretty chilled about immigration which led to highs number of legal immigrants. It seems that the issue for the Reform -type voters is high levels of legal immigration rather than the boat people.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/migration-expert-reveals-how-brexit-has-made-the-small-boats-crisis-worse_uk_68be7dc4e4b01dc9163847b9/

@DuncinToffee

I think you are a hotel owner who is making a fortune from the people who arrive by boat. If not, why are you so excited about it?

Still waiting for an explanation why immigration is higher in; Germany, France, Spain and Italy if being an EU member is the key to lower immigration.

@GlobeTrotter2000 I am still waiting for those reports on how brexit has not increased immigration/boat crossings

@DuncinToffee

The burden of proof is upon the one who points the finger.

You can't find any evidence then?

Obviously. It's not afraid to post reams of irrelevant drivel if it can find something it claims backs up it's agenda.

@DuncinToffee
@MaybeNotBob

You are the ones who are making the statement increased immigration is due to Brexit. Hence you have to provide the evidence.

Other posters have explained that immigrants now cross the channel instead of lorries as before. So, how much of the increased crossings is due to that?

Likewise, others have explained that conflicts in Middle East and Russia/Ukraine has resulted in millions fleeing Westwards. For example, Turkey’s immigration crisis began before Brexit as evidenced by the EU payment of €9 billion to Turkey for refugee facilities in 2016. A further €3 billion was committed in 2021.

Source: Euro News

Once in Turkey it’s easy to enter Bulgaria at the land border or cross the Black Sea. Once in the EU they head towards Western Europe. Some of those will have ended up in the UK.

Can you provide evidence that conflicts in the Middle East and Russia/Ukraine and Israel/Gaza were caused by Brexit?

Oh dear, the Primary School Debating Club has lost it's proudest member again...

@MaybeNotBob

Again, you didn’t answer the question. So, I will repeat:

If being in the EU guarantees lower immigration, why do:

Germany
France
Spain
Italy

All have higher immigration than the UK?

One poster attempted to argue that as the above countries are larger than the UK, they will inevitably have higher immigration. This fails as Poland is 30% larger than UK, but does not have 30% higher immigration.

Brexit would lower immigration they said, this has not been the case unless you have evidence otherwise?

@DuncinToffee

Brexit would lower immigration they said

Incorrect quote. Brexit was about immigration control to ensure that people who entered UK are those who are needed. This was confirmed by Professor Anand on BBC Question Time 23 June 2023.

This was reiterated on the 5 December 2024 episode of BBC QT by both Nigel Farage and Alastair Campbell. Due to an ageing population and a declining birth rate the UK will need more immigrants in the future to fill skills gaps. ie people who work and contribute.

Remain supporters conveniently define immigration control as:

Immigration Control = Fewer Immigrants + Racism.

I'm pretty sure that that wasn't a direct quote! Idiot

And Anand was merely trying to darkwash the profoundly racist campaign.

Remain supporters define Brexiteers definition of immigration as pure racism. Correctly so, as anyone who was awake during the campaign could tell.

HTH

Do you remember the poster Farage posed with?

@DuncinToffee

How does the Farage poster change what he said on BBC Question Time 5 December 2024?

Both Farage and Alastair Campbell agreed that if migrants enter the UK to work, there’s no issue with that. It’s the illegal immigration that cause problems.

@MaybeNotBob

Remain supporters define Brexiteers definition of immigration as pure racism

16.1 million voted remain in 2016. I guess you know them all personally to make the above statement.

@GlobeTrotter2000

Farage lies

But you can keep believing Brexit was a success and had nothing to do with immigration. Believe vs facts.

@DuncinToffee

Brexit was a success for the service industry which makes up approximately 80% of UK economy and 83% of employment. Since Brexit, the service industry has grown around 50% because it is not subject to the TCA regulations that apply to goods.

Brexit has allowed UK to make trade deals without interference from Brussels. The UK has lower tariffs than the EU for exports to the US, the Worlds largest economy. An event which remain campaign said would never happen.

Why 33.4 million people chose to vote remain or leave in 2016 will never be known. However, facts are:

2017 - 498 MPs voted to leave the EU. Their names can be found on the internet. So, why don’t you email them all and ask why they voted to leave.

2018 - The EU advised the UK they would accept a unilateral revoke of Article 50, but it did not happen.

2019 - The LibDems stated if they won the general election Brexit would not happen. They did not win.

2024 - The outcome of General election was that parliament had 538 MPs from pro Brexit parties. Nigel Farage win over 4 million votes. A six fold increase over his 2017 result.

https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/news/2025/08/the-reality-of-uk-services-trade-post-brexit/

The paper’s key findings highlight that:

• UK services exports to the EU in sectors affected by these barriers have declined by 15.8% relative to other bilateral flows.
• Overall, UK services exports are estimated to be 4-5% lower than they would have been without Brexit.
• These losses have not been offset by increased trade with non-EU markets, challenging the vision of a UK pivot successfully toward global markets beyond Europe.

On trade deals

https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/the-economy-forecast/brexit-analysis/#assumptions

Both exports and imports will be around 15 per cent lower in the long run than if the UK had remained in the EU.

New trade deals with non-EU countries will not have a material impact, and any effect will be gradual (

Brexit has allowed UK to make trade deals without interference from Brussels.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Yes! Look at those wonderful trade deals with Australia and New Zealand! They're laughing themselves silly at the ineptness of our negotiators!

Wrong thread