Off Topic Political Debate

Three key issues there.
1 Contribution. I have no problem with Britain being a net contributor to the EU - we are after all one of the richest members and if we were paying to build a genuine peaceful, democratic state with liberty, equality and fraternity within it and where the people were listened to then whatever we pay would be worthwhile.
2 Immigration. It misses the point to simply talk immigration numbers. Non EU immigrants come either as dependants, students or for required skills. EU immigrants come for a better standard of living. That is fine in itself but needs to be regulated and to happen carefully and with social management over a period of time. A very small percentage are refugees and they are a category all on their own and need international understanding. I have no truck with the economic migrants in Calais who are a different kettle of fish and have no business to be there. If Britain were not in the EU they would NOT be there as they would not think they had any chance of entry, The French are delinquent in not clearing them out to centres for processing their status.
3 Democracy - the laws in the EU need to be tailored to the desires of its citizens and give as much local variation as possible

 

Well we survived the vikings didnt we.....

I dont think your percentage of terrorists works though.... Someone posted a blog on FB yesterday in which he said a third of the population of the planet are muslims..... and the minutest fraction could be called terrorists etc etc

The head of the met police was interviewed on radio 4 on Thursday and he said two of the main reasons we dont have such a fear of terrorist attacks are:
UK gun controls
A water border
Plus our intel which has thwarted apparently 8 terrorist cells this year.

The main issue will be right wing brits picking fights and terrorizing immigrants... .that is what is already happening to Syrian refugees in Dresden... I saw a news clip on it the other day... sick


However I agree we need
stricter immigration controls
more control over UK matters


The EU has got too big and we are seeing an increase in nationalist movements ... e.g. Scotland, Spain, Corsica etc

 

Isn't that a rather large generalisation to suggest that all EU. immigrants come to Britain for a higher standard of living ? Whereas those from eg. Pakistan or India don't. There are 270,000 Germans living in the UK. have they gone there because the standard of living is higher ? Or maybe the Scandinavians who live there. Have the 250,000 Britons living in France gone there for that reason, or the million in Spain ? People emigrate for all number of reasons - sometimes private (romance?), or sometimes just for the experience. I did not come here for economic reasons, and so it is fair to assume that Germans in Britain are also there for other reasons. The main reason why so many people want to go to Britain is linguistic ie. either they already speak English, or want their children to learn it - or want to use Britain as a stepping stone for possibly going on to the USA/Canada etc. Britain is not a member of Schengen - has passport controls, and so it makes no difference to those in Calais whether Britain is in or out of the EU.

 

We've had this conversation many times. Immigrants come to the UK because the country has produced many jobs over the last few years as our economy is generally much better than the European alternative. The pay is also much better and the availability of a range of benefits.

In contrast I would imagine most of those Brits moving to France and Spain are retired, early retirees or living on unearned income (interest, dividends etc) from the UK.

 

As you say we have had this discussion many times and it's like having a debate with the flat earth society. Does it not register that English is the most spoken language Worldwide ? So many people go to England and live there knowing that as a by product they will learn the language - which will in turn help them to get a better job when they return home. People would still want to go to the UK. whatever the economy was like.

 

Is the flat earth society like the political membership debate?

Most immigrants do not go back home which is why the UK population is rocketing.

 

There is a lot of evidence with Poles for example working in the UK and then going back and helping develop the economy....

 

Do you have any evidence for the remark that immigrants do not go home - particularly with regard to EU. migrants. Or is it just another of your unsubstantiated statements ?

 

You need to visit some parts of the UK where it is difficult to hear anyone speaking english.

 

1. The pay isn't 'much better', not if you don't speak English.

2. You don't get benefits when you just move to the UK as a EU citizen.

The majority of people I know from France or abroad that moved to the UK did so for either their studies or to learn the language. Not many stayed, mostly because the weather isn't great and the quality of life is vastly inferior to most other EU countries.

 

Bullshit.

There are maybe a few localised areas in some towns, 'parts of the UK'? You're a closet kipper, aren't you

 

Someone just woken you up crapman?

 

Justify your 'parts of the UK' then?

 

Sadly , I find myself agreeing with you ....

 

Some people seem to forget that 26% of hospital doctors are from abroad and without them the service would grind to a halt.

 

Which 'parts of the UK' then?

 

Of course it is a generalisation - do you want me to analyse hundreds of thousands of motives? What - do you NOT think it is for a higher standard of living - have you seen the countries standards where most of them come from - get real. Who said India and Pakistan don't - another of your games of trying to put words in my mouth. Never mind the Germans and French - nobody is bothered about them - and you know that. Focus on the concerns people have not your own statistics from wherever you find them. You think people go to another country for a worse life do you - how odd. Better standard of living is NOT simply economic but it is a large part for many. Dear dear dear - people emigrate to England to speak English - now I have heard it all.

 

To speak/learn English, yes. It's a highly prized asset on a CV in most European countries

 

Don't talk down to me Leo ! English is the most spoken language Worldwide and it is natural for people to go to a country where they have some knowledge of the language - it is also a 'pull' factor for the UK. because a good knowledge of English is also a benefit if they go home - or further to any other country. Try going to a country where you have absolutely no knowledge of the language and then try to make a living there and you will understand what I mean. There is no 'Dear, dear dear`about this at all, the language is one of the most important factors in the actractivity of Britain.

 

Two areas in which I have lived in recently include Hemel Hempstead and Wellingborough. East Anglia has many problems with the excessive influx of EU migrants.

EU citizens have for years received
jobseekers allowance
housing benefit ( not new arrivals)
child benefit
free NHS access
child tax credit
working tax credits

universal credit will encompass all of the above to tackle abuse and restrict means tested benefits until they have worked a paltry 3 months.