Were you offended?

I thought we'd moved on from discussing whether the phrase 'a swarm of people' is acceptable or not.

Why do you keep bringing it up yet again, soontobe (and I thought you were 'leaving it' anyway...)

People are not insects.

I doubt many people want to be called a bee, or a cockroach, even if there are a few who dont mind.

And that is all people, everywhere.

Benefits I assume nigglynellie.

I do think if the phrase of a swarm of people is not spoken, it is no loss to the English language.

People have higher priority than the english language.

Why do all these unfortunate people want to come to the UK? Can anyone answer me that. What's wrong with seeking asylum in France, a much larger country than the UK, than risking your life getting into England?!

Let's try again

Asylum statistics for EU countries

In absolute terms, the largest numbers of non-nationals living in the EU Member States on 1 January 2014 were found in Germany (7.0 million persons), the United Kingdom (5.0 million), Italy (4.9 million), Spain (4.7 million) and France (4.2 million). Non-nationals in these five Member States collectively represented 76 % of the total number of non-nationals living in all of the EU Member States, while the same five Member States had a 63 % share of the EU’s population.

In relative terms, the EU Member State with the highest share of non-nationals was Luxembourg, as non-nationals accounted for 45 % of the total population. A high proportion of non-nationals (10 % or more of the resident population) was also observed in Cyprus, Latvia, Estonia, Austria, Ireland, Belgium and Spain.

No I haven't read it Petra, I expect they are getting the same abuse in most countries, they would here

immigrant statistics EU countries

[[http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Migration_and_migrant_population_statistics immigrant statistics EU countries]

Germany have taken 40%. But have you read what is happening in Germany to these immigrants. There are Syrians wishing that they could get back home because of the abuse they are getting.

Sorry I can't recall the name of the woman who gave the percentages Ana, she was interviewed on the beeb news, will try to recall who she was, not a politician ,

Where did you get those percentages from, Anniebach?

We have taken 7% Germany 40%

What political capital is a bishop making Nigglynellie

If by " it's a perfectly acceptable comment to make" you mean Cameron's comment nigglynellie that is a matter of opinion. I does seem to me that some on here find it difficult to understand the difference between fact and opinion.

When you talk about "particularly unhelpful comments" and "just to make political capital" that is your opinion; it is not a fact. Certainly you are implying that, unlike you who believes the comments you make, these people only make these comment for political one upmanship. That is not only simplistic but pretty insulting to anyone who holds a different opinion to you or do you hold the right opinion about everything? It is certainly "perfectly acceptable" to say you disagree with someone's comment but you seem to be wanting to ban them from being made - or what - just because you do not agree.

Gracesgran I think that the people who travelled here as part of the Windrush immigration period did not get a warm welcome by many sections of British society and similarly when Idi Amin expelled the Asian community from Uganda. I think the history of anti-semetism in sections of our society is something we must not overlook either.

However there are very many British people who have always been empathetic to people who emigrate and who see the commonality of each others lives and work hard to try to make new comers have a positive experience. I would think it is when people feel unwelcome and uncomfortable that there is a need to 'stick together' to feel protected.

But it's a perfectly acceptable comment to make, and no one has said people haven't got the right to comment, but particularly unhelpful comments from highly educated intelligent people in positions of authority just to make political capital, are just that, particularly unhelpful and these people should know better than to potentially inflame what is a highly delicate situation for what are obviously spurious reasons, and perhaps for a change, offer some helpful ideas to find some answers.

I am not so sure about thinking the French could do more tigger, I tend to think we should stop thinking we are overrun - we come quite a long way down the list when it comes to taking asylum seekers - and we should be the ones doing more. We should also be getting together with the EU as a whole to discuss this but Cameron has already said no to that hasn't he.

None of this negates the fact that the word came out of Cameron's mouth and no one else's. If he hadn't said it there would have been no comments.

If the opposition really can't find something useful.to say, then don't say anything at all! and that goes for the Church of England too.

So who decides whether what they say is useful nellyniggle? It thought that would be up to the whole population. Sounds like you would like a dictatorship.

So Harman and bishops have no right to the same freedom of speech as we do on this forum ?

Not offended at all and Harriet Harman doesn't help with her comments regarding compensation etc. etc. I think maybe a lot of us think the French could do more, they certainly protected their own borders between themselves and Italy a few weeks ago. Let's solve the problem and then deal with the fallout.

Not offended at all and Harriet Harman doesn't help with her comments regarding compensation etc. etc. I think maybe a lot of us think the French could do more, they certainly protected their own borders between themselves and Italy a few weeks ago. Let's solve the problem and then deal with the fallout.

So Cameron didn't describe the asylum seekers as swarming ? he is above criticism ?

Instead of sniping, the government and the other political parties should get together and seriously discuss and pool ideas as to the best way forward with this extremely serious problem that is threatening to overwhelm security on both sides of the channel. Suggesting that we demand compensation from the French is just such a stupid comment from the temporary leader of H.M opposition. How on earth can we do that overnight? Correct me if I'm wrong, but this would have to be negotiated, exacerbating further bad feeling with the French! If that is the best that H.H can come up with as a resolution then frankly she'd do best to keep quiet. If the opposition really can't find something useful.to say, then don't say anything at all! and that goes for the Church of England too.

Of course it was all Harriet Harman's fault. She put the words into Cameron's mouth and told him not to consider what he was saying ... really?.