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.

Quite possibly there is no ridiculous tax credit system because jobs pay a living wage and house prices are not inflated to the point of insanity

likewise CB for £10 per month- how does that fit with cost of living etc there? Does it have the same buying power there that £20 per week CB does here?

oh fuckles I was going to stay away

bad immigrant baaaaad baaaad immigrant

If you are white British and your name ends in -son, then you have probably come from Scandinavia. If it begins with De or Di, then you might be from France, Italy, Spain, etc. If you hail from the Southern Mediterranean, you could have Arab blood.

The Romans brought people here from the four corners of the world, and before that we weren't even an island, so people just walked here from Africa. We're all immigrants, migrants, emigrants ... All one big family.

Clegg, Boris Johnston, loads of people in public life have wafted over here at some time in their previous lives. Where would we be without them. Einstein. Brontes.

Come back, Chibi. You can share my swan.

There's no more room in the south of England, which is where everyone wants to live.

What we can do is throw all our rubbish in the sea and make it into an artificial island. I think they did something like that in Japan.

Stephen Fry. He's another one.

I think the problem is that there has been a very sudden influx of foreigners over the last 5-10 years, especially into London, and probably other large cities, and this fast paced change has affected the cultural dynamics of urban society.

It's well known that people don't like change anyway and it takes time for newcomers to be accepted and assimilated, especially if their traditions, language, mode of dress, way of life and even their moral codes are different.

It is especially difficult in a recession because people have very real financial anxieties and can feel threatened by what they see as demands placed on our institutions and welfare services by people who have not invested in our traditions or been part of our heritage.

Agree, Crystal.

Ilovemydog -

The Sunday Times is reporting today that Ken Clarke is examining plans to drop charges for minor offences against immigrants if they agree to return to their country of origin; repeated non payment of traffic violation fines was specifically mentioned.

As much as I hate to agree with LFN she has a point although put in a nasty spiteful way.

The infrastructure in the UK is under immense pressure and we really really dont need anymore strain on it.

Maybe if we had a policy of no non EU immigrant being able to claim any benefits until two years of tax had been paid, no dependants except husband/wife/children.

No non EU immigrants without a job to go to and a sponsor or a bond of say £50,000 against costs to the state, returnable in two years.

Genuine asylum seekers no problem AND the immigration authorities acting in a decent and humane way not like (as some reports have shown) as high handed bullies.

The indigenous population is not being racist for objecting to incomers jumping council housing queues based upon need whilst others can be on the housing list for years.

The BNP and others organisations like it have been pushed back under their rocks but the Tory cuts will begin to bite in earnest in the near future and immigrants will become the scapegoats (as the Tories want) we need to show that immigration is a benefit (as it is) but also understand that in some places the (God help me for using this expression) white working class feels under siege in their own communities and abandoned by the political elite.

often some 3rd world immigrants start off in another EU country but do not get work and after 5 years' have to leave (Holland for example). They come here and then get given housing and benefits but again do not work but they seem to be able to get away with it where as they don't in other EU countries.

This irks me. I don't mind if they come to work but I do get annoyed when they keep on having children and do not make any contribution.

I think it is wrong that they jump the housing queue etc and it is putting a strain on our infrastructure. I live in the South East.

**Maybe if we had a policy of no non EU immigrant being able to claim any benefits until two years of tax had been paid, no dependants except husband/wife/children.

No non EU immigrants without a job to go to and a sponsor or a bond of say £50,000 against costs to the state, returnable in two years.**

the work visa i came here on said clearly that i was not eligible for any benefits, and my work visa was specifically for that job, so if i was fired or quit, i would have had to leave and then obtain another visa in order to legally stay.

i would have not been eligible for HB, JSA, IS, council housing etc. possibly if i were homeless there may have been some sort of hardship emergency type fund. or i may have just had to live rough

non eu people cannot just decide to stay legally without a job and a work visa that their employer obtains on their behalf. nor can they drag their whole family along with them for the ride

for non-eu people it is not as easy as you might think to legally come stay and work in the UK

chibi

Thank you for your post. Is the visa situation and being unable to claim benefits applicable to all non EU immigrants?.

chibi

*Quite possibly there is no ridiculous tax credit system because jobs pay a living wage and house prices are not inflated to the point of insanity

likewise CB for £10 per month- how does that fit with cost of living etc there? Does it have the same buying power there that £20 per week CB does here?*

Spot on.

I would assume so

I am from a Commonwealth country, if any country's citizens would get any privileges, mine would, however we don't

chibi

Then what is the fuss from the right wing (Immigration watch, UKIP, Tories etc) are they misinformed or just scapegoating.

I will admit to some ignorance on this subject (some would say on any subject) as although I was born in London's East End I have lived in the "white bread" area of Home Counties for many years.

Soa re we calling all our citizens back from other countries if we're closing our borders then? becuaase I can name a few wasters currently slumming in about Europe we could definitely survive without... and a fair few elderly people in the warmer climes whose costs could come back and drain our NHS....

I am not up for leaving EU anyway though; given the legislation that is up for removal, and what could be done if there was no recourse to the EU (such as equality legislation and the SEN right to education) then no ta.

Most of the Pplish immigrants DH worked with have long gone back anyhow, had enough.

Yes it is newwave non eu immigrants have no recourse to public funds unless they are granted asylum or leave to remain. This includes recieving any help for their children.

This would be fine if the home office dealt with applications in a quick and efficent manner. However, they don't and this then leads to people being forced to work illegally or commit benefit fraud.

My partners mother fled Zimbabwe 11 years ago after being beaten on two seperate occassions for daring to work on a white owned farm. She was advised if she remained in the country her family would be targeted and killed. They couldn't afford for the whole family to leave so she left and came to the UK.

She seeked asylum immediately when she arrived it took them 10 years to finalise her case. She was forced to work illegally as there was no support for her, when I met her and saw how she was living I could have cried.

She left her home and family behind to look for help expecting to get it, when she left her youngest child was 3, she also had an 8 year old daughter and 15 year old son!!! Her eldedst son (my dp) was 18 when she left, he followed her a year later and came on a work visa. She didn't see any of her other children for the full 10 years, in December last year she was re-united with her two youngest children now aged 13 and 18 and they now live here with her, she still hasn't seen her other son who is now 25 and living alone in Zimbabwe. She is not allowed to return to Zimbabwe ever again, if she does her asylum will be withdrawn.

This is the side of immigration people don't see.

Peachy

Soa re we calling all our citizens back from other countries if we're closing our borders then?

I am certainly NOT advocating forced repatriation of anyboby already here.

Jaquelinehyde

That is a fucking appalling story.

I have read many articles about the actions of the immigration authorities and their attitude being to be as obstructive and to reject as many applications as possible. Your story brings home the truth about them.

Right well that's good (was really to LFN though).

An awful lot of sad limitations on British people though would be gained by leaving EU; I have so many friends abroad within the EU. has enhanced their lives considerably but tehyc ertainly don;t all have regular work there.

LeonieDelt

never have bothered with a british apssport, and why should you need to.

I think it would be better if we threw out all the unpleasant people.

UK immigration policy is pretty similar to most other Western countries (Canada, Australia etc) on the non EU side. Countries that limit immigration are foolish as immigration has been shown to bring net benefit.

I think it would be better if we threw out all the unpleasant people

I too would like to deport the Tory party but I think there are international laws against the dumping of toxic waste :o

nooka

UK immigration policy is pretty similar to most other Western countries (Canada, Australia etc) on the non EU side. Countries that limit immigration are foolish as immigration has been shown to bring net benefit.

I suspect that depends on the skills of the immigrant tbh.