Warm words from Cameron on immigration

[longfingernails]

but what a shambles the immigration policy is.

The policy should be to rescind all rights to benefits, legal aid, etc. from every economically worthless migrant of the Labour years - including to dependents - to encourage them to emigrate; to leave the EU so we can control EU migration; introduce work permits, breaking the automatic link with residency; and ditching the stupid quotas which are stopping lawyers, professors, and surgeons coming to the UK.

Immigration is a good thing if it is the right sort of immigration. If it is bogus asylum seekers, extremists, and those who fundamentally disagree with the tenets of British society but are happy to scrounge off it (generally speaking, the sort of people the Labour party went out of its way to let in, because it could bank their votes) then immigration is worthless. If it is high-net worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and scientists, then we should welcome them without putting silly obstacles in their way.

I agree in general that immigration policy should discriminate in favour of the wealthy and talented.

But for poorer newcomers, there's surely a profitable business to be established in melting them down and sellling off their body parts on the internet?

i agree with immigration however there has been far too much for years. too much doesn't and isn't working, i see it on a daily basis as i live in the middle of it. too many people milking the system, too many people not integrating, too many ghetto areas. a shame, as it has made it harder for people who genuinely need to come and live here and want to be a part of british society

"Tenets of British society"....ie rank hypocrisy and petty mean spiritedness as exemplified so well by longclaws? Just as well we give refuge to so many ousted and current despots from oil rich countries then.

I am an immigrant.

How, exactly, did the Labour party go "out of its way" to let in bogus asylum seekers and extremists? Did they bus them in from overseas? And why would they do that to garner votes when asylum seekers aren't allowed to vote?

Or are you just talking out of your hat again?

lol nepkoztarsasag

I am the daughter of an immigrant. OP you'll be pleased to hear my mother has migrated again to another country. Because she is a scientist and couldn't get a decent job here as UK universities are so underfunded.

I, slug, am an emigrant who left blighty to get away from snidey types such as longclaws. Apologies for her. We're not all like her although MN seems to be populated at present by uptight nasty right wingers. Enjoy!

It depends on how immigration is handled. The UK could learn some lessons from the Belgian system, compulsory language lessons in some cases and there are normally no translations into any other language; all business is conducted in Flemish/French (or English if you start in Flemish to show willing).

It would work, scaryteacher. Unfortunately though the funding for ESOL classes was cut by the last govt. A shot themselves in the foot moment methinks.

Why should the taxpayer fund ESOL classes? If you are going to be of any value to the UK, surely you have the wit & means to learn English without taking handouts?

LFN - this is an area in which we disagree. Whilst at a local community level immigration might cause problems - economically it is very much a good thing for the UK as a whole.

Here is an excellent Adam Smith Institute article on the subject.

Immigration restrictions make us poorer

And this from their Press Release response to Cameron's Speech.

"Fears that immigration creates a drain on the welfare state are misguided. Immigrants contribute more in taxes than they use in services. Home Office research suggests that is equivalent to 1p off the basic rate of income tax. Immigrants don't drain the welfare state, they subsidise it.?

Not always that easy Hammy. I currently live in Belgium and was working full time teaching before I moved here. Finding Flemish classes in Cornwall was impossible.

The Flemish classes here are heavily subsidised - 60/80 euros for a terms classes and they are weekly and 3 hours a time, so good value for money. I think I might pick up French next year to refresh my A level and help ds with his IGCSE.

The point is really that if settling in the UK is conditional upon learning English when you are here, then it's a worthwhile investment as there isn't that barrier between some of the women who come here and never learn English and the community they live in. Make it a formal qualification and tie it to residency and you'll get people learning bloody quickly.

I employ a Polish cleaner here, and we converse in her murderous French with a Russian accent, and my A level French and we get by. She has had to learn to live here, so perhaps the immigrants to the UK who don't learn English should do the same.

Cameron is a politician. There are elections 3 weeks away. He thinks there are votes in it. I would not be suprised if Camerooney agreed to allow V. Cable to make the anti statement for the Liberals...I wonder what it would take for Nick Clugg to stop propping up the Tories. ?

In truth the Tories could survive without Clegg and co for a couple of years

Scaryteacher How on earth did you manage to get a polish person with a russian accent??

I think that any immigrant who is found guilty of a crime at any level should be kicked out for good ......

I am an immigrant.

Talking of kicking out economically worthless migrants who scrounge off the public purse - will this include Prince Philip? If it does then I might well reconsider my opposition to the proposals.

I am not an immigrant but am from an immigrant background.

I believe this background helps me really cherish and value the things which make Britain great. I am so proud to line in this wonderful country - and so depressed at the mess Labour have made of it.

Again, I welcome immigration. I want more of it. I don't want quotas on it. I just want the right sort of immigrants.

OP, you come across as ignorant and xenophobic. Being from 'immigrant stock' obviously doesn't stop you being a nasty person, does it?

People who commit crimes, abuse the benefit system, can't be arsed to contribute to society in any sort of way are lazy sods who are of no benefit to society. Unfortunately, if they are not from this country and behaving like this there should be the option to send them back!

We are becoming vastly overpopulated, screwed financially, and it does concern me that 1 in 8 people in this country are not British. The overpopulation is already having an effect on employment for the young.

I would love to send some of the little shits who think it is fun to vandalise and steal or hurt people somewhere else but if they are born here, can't do anything. However if it is an immigrant then we should be able to.

I am fed up with scum immigrants getting the attention rather than the good immigrants who do learn our language, accept our culture, work hard etc. Let's allow hard working people in but if that person goes and kills a kid then they should be kicked out.

We need to have a tough system like Australia.

I am fed up with genuine people, whether immigrants are not, getting a crap deal because of scum. People should be rewarded for being decent, not the opposite.

'Scaryteacher How on earth did you manage to get a polish person with a russian accent??' The part of Poland she comes from is right up against the Russian border, and Russian was taught in school as well as Polish, hence the murderously strong Russian accent.

She has a degree, and was a customs official, but when Schengen was signed, no need for her job any more, so she and her family came to Brussels to find work. She works bloody hard and worked for dh for two years before I moved out here. She gets fresh brewed coffee, lunch, picked up from and taken back to the tram and I pay her when I'm away as well and I pay her more than the going rate (just so you don't think I exploit her).

Arf @ the scum/good immigrant dichotomy

it's funny no matter how many times facts like people here on work visas generally have NO RECOURSE TO BENEFITS or most immigrants have come from the EU and we have reciprocal arrangements, so you could go to Germany and get whatever they get coming here are brought up, it never seems to even make a dent in the belief that the scavenging hordes of scum are at our door ready to pilfer and ravage

I can't be arsed anymore; I suppose that makes me a bad immigrant

I agree with Cameron that certain of our British population have learnt to live off welfare benefits rather than accept work, that the migrants now do. We should be making our own people work for a living. There is always some paid or voluntary work available.

Oh no I'm marrying an immigrant in a couple of weeks

Bet it's one of those sham marriages!

Most immigrants have come from the EU and we have reciprocal arrangements

Correct. Except most other EU countries don't have such a gold plated system like ours. My OH comes from a EU country. I think where she's from, their equivalent of child benefit is like £10 a month. And the other countries I know about, their equivalent of JSA is time limited and reduces over time. So if you haven't found anything after say 2 years, it's gone.

I can't think of any other EU country with the equivalent of the ludicrous tax credit system either.