Up to 3 million Hong Kong residents are to be offered to settle in the UK (EDITED BY HQ)

What does it matter how long Peardrop has been on GN ??

Waiting to find out Lemongrove, quaking in my boots.

MaizieD is in pouncing mood tonight. Only the chosen few are welcome to post on the News and Politics threads.

MaizieD

The thing is, Ug, I've been posting on here, on the News & Politics forum pretty continually for the past 4 years and this is the very first thread in all that time about a possible influx of immigrants where the Leavers have actually approved of them coming.

"I'm not racist, but the UK is too full already" is a very common comment usually.

I find this very, very strange.

That’s because you only see what you want to see in posts by those who wanted to leave the EU.
I expect there are many people who voted to remain and don’t mind Europeans coming here but don’t like Africans or Asians coming here to settle perhaps.Just a thought.

Peardrop50

Waiting to find out Lemongrove, quaking in my boots.

Somehow.....I don’t think so ?

Watermeadow
You won't see many ( if any) Chinese people in the dole queue. It's not their way.

I repeat I am happy to welcome all comers, all colours and creeds if they contribute to society or are vulnerable in their own country. I am proud of our diverse and multi-cultural Britain. I love my country.
I voted to leave the EU because I do not want to be part of a trading bloc, I do not want to be governed by faceless bureaucrats in a one size fits all way.
I vote Conservative because I believe in aspiration, in reward for effort and I feel a strong economy is necessary for growth for all. I was enthused by Boris's vision of a greater spend on infrastructure, a levelling up across the country and a more positive British 'can do' attitude.
So Maizie et al now you know. Feel free to fire on all cylinders. Please refrain from Guardian quotes, I would prefer hard copy...........................just in case there's a shortage of loo paper following further panic buying due to covid spikes.

^That’s because you only see what you want to see in posts by those who wanted to leave the EU.
I expect there are many people who voted to remain and don’t mind Europeans coming here but don’t like Africans or Asians coming here to settle perhaps.Just a thought.^

Pitiful, lemon, pitiful.

MaizieD

What reasonable debate would that be? Just as a matter of interest?

Is that the one where everyone throws out a few mantras and everyone else agrees with them. Then shout 'bully' at anyone who disagrees?

You expressed that very well. I’ve noticed a tendency of some posters of right leaning views to just make a statement of opinion or a Boris type slogan, not back it up and as you say then do the “ I for one am tired of the lefty posters dominating the political threads”. I honestly can say that as far as I can see it’s pretty even!!

MaizieD is in pouncing mood tonight. Only the chosen few are welcome to post on the News and Politics threads.

I just wondered how Peardrop managed to miss all those anti immigrant comments from Leavers over the past 4 years.

Hong Kong is not a colony. that's the point.
someone said the older people may prefer to remain in the colony.
that's what the chinese govt accuses us of; forgetting that HK is no longer a colony.

I expect many will want to move to Australia now Basic Law looks as if it will be undermined much earlier than agreed.
Canada and Taiwan would also be preferred destinations.

I do see your point Whitewave but surely this is a very different scenario.

As much as I dislike Johnson and think he is inept, I really don't think I can criticise him or the Conservative party for this. The actions of the Chinese government in threatening to imprison people for long periods just for holding up placards and demonstrating are quite unacceptable and I think the British government does have a duty to uphold the promises that were made to the people in Hong Kong.

If you think about it, it can't be easy for this government to make such a commitment because it won't suit a lot of their supporters.

Although I voted to remain, I don't think the issue of EU immigrants and potential Hong Kong immigrants are the same. People coming to work here from the EU did so for a variety of reasons but not because if they disagreed with the government in their own country they could be imprisoned for many years.

Thank you Eloethan.Succintly put.

Welbeck, slip of the keyboard using the word colony. I didn’t preview. Then I thought no one would notice! Should have known better!
You have a point about the way we refer to HK. To so many of us it it seems we still have so many links.

eloethan

I’m not criticising the government for making a rare correct decision, but I am contrasting Johnson with his attitude during the leave campaign.

The irony that it should be announced on the day of the immigration bill is astounding also.

We must be the only country in history who has voted for less rights.

We have chosen to remove our rights and deny ourselves opportunities, but the Chinese we are happy to retain those rights.

Crazy.

Ellenvannin - there are thousands of empty flats in the City of London - mostly owned by foreign investors who never come to them, just were buying them ready for prices to rise so they could sell them on. About time they were used.

This is my sixpenneth.......I am NOT political in any way.
I dispair of this Country, we are a small island at breaking point and more people means even more waits for health care , housing, etc etc
I dont mind paying my way but I am sick of paying for other people as well.
rant over.....

Yorkie @ 11.43

I rest my case...

Well, yorkie, in my view it's a matter of reaping what you sow.

We colonised many parts of the world and subjugated their populations and exploited their labour and natural resources and created financial hubs for our own benefit. This happened to Hong Kong, which rightfully belonged to China. This has caused the populations of China and Hong Kong to have quite significant cultural differences, in particular, differences in their response to authority. It was always going to be difficult for the two parts of China to form a united whole.

I think it is right that this country offers residence to those people in Hong Kong who are entitled to it and who wish to take it up.

Quite a lot of British people also expressed resentment about the Ugandan Asians coming to this country but, again, it was the result of our own historical actions that brought it about. Uganda was under our control until its independence. According to many commentators, the British brought Asians to Uganda in order to form a buffer between the British rulers and African people. Asian people were given preferential treatment in terms of education and housing and Africans did most of the hard graft but saw little of the rewards. It was very much a "divide and rule" situation. The installation of Idi Amin as President of Uganda aided by the British as it was thought he would, having been trained here, treat Britain favourably. However, as resentment of the Asian population grew, Idi Amin expelled them.

It's true we are a small country but a small country that has in the past caused a great deal of division and conflict around the world. Now we have to pick up the pieces.

Although I do accept that it was the right thing to do, I sincerely hope all three million of them don’t decide to come here.

It’s probably unlikely especially now Australia has indicated it would take some, and it’s possible other countries will also offer help, but honestly, another *three million*people squashed onto our tiny island ?

I accept all the arguments about how a lot of them would be well educated qualified people who would be an asset to the country, but where will they all be housed?

The vast majority I suspect would chose to settle here in London and the south east, rather than quiet underpopulated areas of Scotland for instance.

Franbern

Ellenvannin - there are thousands of empty flats in the City of London - mostly owned by foreign investors who never come to them, just were buying them ready for prices to rise so they could sell them on. About time they were used.

Of course, they could find that prices have dropped and may drop even further!

At least some of those empty flats will be owned by Hongkong Chinese.
Not all those who choose to come here will be destitute or even hard up.

*3 million Chinese to come to live in the UK*
That's today's headline or would be

So it's not today's headline then?


Not ever likely to be

Eloethan
Very well expressed. I agree completely.