1,027 irregular migrants arrive here on rubber boats in the last 24 hours.

I don’t think anyone thinks huge numbers of undocumented migrants is acceptable or sustainable. I do think the hysteria about it is whipped up by Reform and the media ( BBC in particular) making it the most important concern of the country we should all be focusing on, ignoring the numerous other important issues in the world. A bit like Brexit really.

The irony of course is that many people who voted to leave the EU were motivated by thinking it would help the UK have better control over "illegal" immigration , when it's had the opposite effect.
I use the expression " illegal" because I think it's important to remember why they are classified as "illegal" when prior to 2023 and the introduction of a new act brought in by the Conservative government, people arriving like this would not have been considered "illegal".
There's no doubt in my mind that although we do have to find a solution to this increased level of migration it has been weaponised and is scapegoating these people unfairly. Yes, it's a problem for very many countries and as the EU have got their act together and are working more successfully to move migrants on it's making entry to the UK even more attractive to people desperate for a better life. However, IMO it's not the most important issue to face this country and it's not the cause of the stagnation that's facing our economy either but Reform and the Conservatives would like us to believe it is and sadly, many do.

I think the answer lies in not relying so much on employing foreign trained workers in the first place. Then additional asylum seekers would be of little use to us. Take the NHS, for example where over 35% of doctors are trained abroad.
That's crazy. I know the reason is that our own training cannot meet demand, but other countries seem to manage this. Here in France, for example, foreign trained doctors account for only 7%, mainly from Tunisua and Morocco, so they actually speak French too. The same applies to carers.
If France can grow their own, why can't we? It's not that the NHS doesn't offer attractive career development either. The reason is just that we stupidly don't train enough people initially, so maybe that's where it needs to start?
I think any asylum seekers who aren't in full time employment after 6 months in the UK, (and I'd get them doing some form of job from day one), should be sent elsewhere with no benefits and few comforts, if all they want to do is to sit around.

Escaped it's cheaper to employ foreign trained doctors . We've increased the uni places for medicine but the places for the further training have not been increased sufficiently nor have UK trained doctors been prioritised. We are potentially facing huge shortages of doctors in many specialisms and already have a huge shortage in cardiology, psychiatry, emergency medicine and GP etc I the NHS would grind to a halt without foreign trained doctors!

Whilst I agree that doctors in say Austria and Germany earn more compared with UK, in France doctors actually earn less than UK doctors, but I'd need to check current figures.
The UK could save money to pay doctors more by not wasting it elsewhere like handing it to France to not stop the boats!

escaped

Whilst I agree that doctors in say Austria and Germany earn more compared with UK, in France doctors actually earn less than UK doctors, but I'd need to check current figures.
The UK could save money to pay doctors more by not wasting it elsewhere like handing it to France to not stop the boats!

Like most members of the public, you seem to have little idea of what France has actually done over the last few years to "stop boats". It's naive to think that not sending money to France would make no difference. In fact, France's actions have meant that the hubs have had to move to other countries such as Belgium.

This is an issue for Europe as a whole and needs to be addressed by countries acting together, we will never build a fortress around the UK and we shouldn't try. I thoroughly recommend reading The Wall by John Lanchester, a dystopian novel but pertinent to our present time.

Like most members of the public, if the efforts and results from France to stop the boats were more apparent I might start to believe it more!
I am not naive in my thinking when I hear from a friend sitting on the beach in northern France that a group of men rush out of nowhere into the sea.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sago just trying to help here, is this the thread you meant?

Absolutely please don't take your post down Sparkle, because as Oreo pointed out, only two GNs believed it, so no harm done. In fact it might make us more aware of online incorrect facts.

I know Allira, but I was pointing out that the Boat People are not illegal, until so proven.

foxie48

The irony of course is that many people who voted to leave the EU were motivated by thinking it would help the UK have better control over "illegal" immigration , when it's had the opposite effect.
I use the expression " illegal" because I think it's important to remember why they are classified as "illegal" when prior to 2023 and the introduction of a new act brought in by the Conservative government, people arriving like this would not have been considered "illegal".
There's no doubt in my mind that although we do have to find a solution to this increased level of migration it has been weaponised and is scapegoating these people unfairly. Yes, it's a problem for very many countries and as the EU have got their act together and are working more successfully to move migrants on it's making entry to the UK even more attractive to people desperate for a better life. However, IMO it's not the most important issue to face this country and it's not the cause of the stagnation that's facing our economy either but Reform and the Conservatives would like us to believe it is and sadly, many do.

Hear, hear foxie48 👏👏👏

Yes foxie, a problem that Europe could solve together. Pity we no longer have such a treaty with Europe. Who talked us out of that? Oh yes it was the Boatman himself, the man who immediately got himself a German passport so that BREXIT would not affect him.

Maremia

I know Allira, but I was pointing out that the Boat People are not illegal, until so proven.

Didn’t the last government bring in new legislation to the effect that anyone arriving by small boats/irregular means were deemed illegal

It was the Illegal Migration Act which came into force in July 2023

Will check that out GG

A seemingly never ending list of hopeless Home Secretaries. Rinse and repeat.
This lovely country has been ruined by their inability to stop and return those who have no right to live here.

Facts from UK Gov, 17 hours ago.

"Protecting the UK border is my priority as Home Secretary and I will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system."

Background

*In one year, we have returned more than 35,000 people with no right to be here – a 13% increase compared to the same period 12 months prior.
*5,200 foreign national offenders have been returned – a 14% increase on the same period 12 months prior.
*Illegal working visits and arrests are up more than 50%.
*From 5 July 2024 to 4 July 2025 there have been 66 charter flights for returns to countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, 3 more than the 63 in the same period 12 months prior.
*From over 400 asylum hotels open in summer 2023, costing almost £9 million a day, there are now less than 210.
*On 5 August, the UK-France Returns Agreement came into effect. This treaty enables the return of small boat arrivals from the UK to France, with an equal number of individuals eligible to come to the UK through a new legal route.
*Returns to France are expected later this month.
*Data on small boat crossings for the last 7 days is will be made available here: Small boat arrivals: last 7 days - GOV.UK.

Thought it might be of interest.

Re the comment about three doctors having problems that was made earlier in the thread - because one person said "It didnt happen" everyone has breathed a sigh of relief and said "Oh it didnt happen".

I think we've not had proof either way - either that it definitely did happen or definitely didnt happen. So I'd like proof one way or the other personally.

I can confirm this is going around - as it turned up on my feed this morning and it was from a friend that sometimes thinks logically/sometimes not in my experience.

The "clip" she put up says it's from "Concerned doc, Southampton".

Personally - I think the jury is still out - did it? or didnt it?

CariadAgain

Re the comment about three doctors having problems that was made earlier in the thread - because one person said "It didnt happen" everyone has breathed a sigh of relief and said "Oh it didnt happen".

I think we've not had proof either way - either that it definitely did happen or definitely didnt happen. So I'd like proof one way or the other personally.

I can confirm this is going around - as it turned up on my feed this morning and it was from a friend that sometimes thinks logically/sometimes not in my experience.

The "clip" she put up says it's from "Concerned doc, Southampton".

Personally - I think the jury is still out - did it? or didnt it?

According to ChatGPT the "Facebook post was misleading. In the UK, anyone can register with a GP and get primary care for free, no matter their immigration status. It's not a new rule, it's always been part of the NHS. The Facebook post made it sound like a special requirement for immigrants when in reality it's just the standard system. So it wasn't entirely fake, but twisted the truth to stir up fear about immigrants".

foxie48

Escaped it's cheaper to employ foreign trained doctors . We've increased the uni places for medicine but the places for the further training have not been increased sufficiently nor have UK trained doctors been prioritised. We are potentially facing huge shortages of doctors in many specialisms and already have a huge shortage in cardiology, psychiatry, emergency medicine and GP etc I the NHS would grind to a halt without foreign trained doctors!

I can remember when newly qualified doctors left the UK because there just weren't the training places for them. That was several years ago now and, from what you say, it looks as if the situation hasn't improved. Our loss was a gain for places like Canada and Australia.

Of course, we do gain some medical staff from these countries but very few in comparison to those who emigrate.

Then we in turn poach medical staff from countries which may well feel their loss greatly.

Maremia

I know Allira, but I was pointing out that the Boat People are not illegal, until so proven.

I know that people aren't illegal but, as far as I remember, I was pointing out that many people who are here illegally did not arrive in small boats.
People tend to forget that.

J52

Facts from UK Gov, 17 hours ago.

"Protecting the UK border is my priority as Home Secretary and I will explore all options to restore order to our immigration system."

Background

*In one year, we have returned more than 35,000 people with no right to be here – a 13% increase compared to the same period 12 months prior.
*5,200 foreign national offenders have been returned – a 14% increase on the same period 12 months prior.
*Illegal working visits and arrests are up more than 50%.
*From 5 July 2024 to 4 July 2025 there have been 66 charter flights for returns to countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, 3 more than the 63 in the same period 12 months prior.
*From over 400 asylum hotels open in summer 2023, costing almost £9 million a day, there are now less than 210.
*On 5 August, the UK-France Returns Agreement came into effect. This treaty enables the return of small boat arrivals from the UK to France, with an equal number of individuals eligible to come to the UK through a new legal route.
*Returns to France are expected later this month.
*Data on small boat crossings for the last 7 days is will be made available here: Small boat arrivals: last 7 days - GOV.UK.

Thought it might be of interest.

Thanks J52 👍

The situation has become worse, Allira

"Half of resident doctors finishing foundation training say they have no job secured for next month, according to a major survey from the BMA – leading the doctors’ union to seek a deal on training places as part of its ongoing dispute with the Government.

After resident doctors complete their first two years of training, FY1 and FY2, they enter specialty training to become consultants or GPs. However, this year there were more than 30,000 doctors applying for around 10,000 specialty training places.

Now with just days to go, 52% of FY2 doctors surveyed by the BMA said they have no substantive employment secured from August, when the new roles begin."
From the BMJ 29.07.25.
www.bma.org.uk/bma-media-centre/bma-seeks-deal-on-doctor-unemployment-as-survey-reveals-half-of-resident-doctors-finishing-foundation-training-have-no-job-to-go-to-next-month

That is just a ridiculous situation foxie48!
I'm shocked.