Can we discuss the migrant crisis in a sensible and humane way?

growstuff

DiamondLily

I think those, with skills we need, can come over on an approved visa?

Those landing in rubber boats seem to have no papers to prove nationality, qualifications or anything else - so we cannot employ any skills they may have.

I don't think it's true that none of them have any papers.

I think it is.

Chestnut

growstuff

Because that is where it will end if people keep arriving at the rate of sometimes 500 per day.

It would take 36 years for the UK population to double at that rate - and even then the country wouldn't be "full".

What do you call 'full'? When you look at the problems we have now, especially healthcare, housing and gridlocked roads, what do you think it would be like with double the population? Do you want every inch of green space built upon? Do you want homeless people on every street corner? And how would we even move around? Could the London Underground cope with double the number of people?

There's plenty of space!

Unless you're a diehard NIMBY.

volver you have been on the N & P threads long enough to have read the extremely good and informative posts by MaizieD regarding taxation and government spending.

15:59growstuff

It wasn't irrelevant the NHS and doctors surgeries are under strain with all the extra economic migrants coming over in dinghies its pretty obvious.

GrannyGravy13

volver you have been on the N & P threads long enough to have read the extremely good and informative posts by MaizieD regarding taxation and government spending.

Seriously though, why do we bother paying taxes?

Paying taxes is seen as one of the things that mark us out a good citizens of the UK. If the asylum seekers want to pay taxes and be good citizens, why shouldn't they?

HousePlantQueen

Oh FFS, I had hoped we could use this thread for sensible, calm discussion of how to deal with the acknowledged issue of many boatloads of asylum seekers arriving every day. Initially, most people understood this brief, and we had some very good suggestions for how to deal with this. I turned my back for a day and all the usual nonsense is getting churned out, I can't even be bothered to repeat the ill informed and hostile drivel some people have posted, but sadly, it is there for all to read. As for the post about a village of 700 about to get 1600 young male refugees, I would call b*** on it, but the people who believe this utter vile nonsense would report me. Funny how someone can get all a flutter about a swear word, but not give a flying one for hundreds of distressed people. What a bloody country.

HousePlantQueen

Oh FFS, I had hoped we could use this thread for sensible, calm discussion of how to deal with the acknowledged issue of many boatloads of asylum seekers arriving every day. Initially, most people understood this brief, and we had some very good suggestions for how to deal with this. I turned my back for a day and all the usual nonsense is getting churned out, I can't even be bothered to repeat the ill informed and hostile drivel some people have posted, but sadly, it is there for all to read. As for the post about a village of 700 about to get 1600 young male refugees, I would call b*** on it, but the people who believe this utter vile nonsense would report me. Funny how someone can get all a flutter about a swear word, but not give a flying one for hundreds of distressed people. What a bloody country.

Well, they are angry and they don't want it.

news.sky.com/story/migrant-crisis-linton-on-ouse-residents-fury-at-home-office-asylum-centre-branding-it-the-wrong-plan-wrong-place-12617995

volver

There's another "sad". Another one for my spreadsheet.

well you might as well start a spreadsheet, I have started a bingo card of ill informed and oft repeated comments about migration. It keeps us out of bother

Maudi

15:59growstuff

It wasn't irrelevant the NHS and doctors surgeries are under strain with all the extra economic migrants coming over in dinghies its pretty obvious.

Do you honestly, truly believe that the reason I can't get an appointment at my surgery is due to a dinghy full of asylum seekers arriving in Kent? Something is obvious, and it isn't this.

Ah. People have not understood the No1 rule of threads on GN - always agree with volver or she'll continue to browbeat others who have genuine concerns and are not all dreadful people. ?

Oh do stop it.

It's beneath you.

Think about it.

No lass, I don't think I will.

There may well be some misguided bleeding heart liberals that would throw the doors open to migrants but I can assure you all that the vast majority of the British Public want migration controlled.

What was asked for was a sensible and humane discussion. The answer to the original post then seems to be " No , we can't".
What a shame.

I can assure you all that the vast majority of the British Public want migration controlled.

I would imagine that everybody in Britain wants immigration to be controlled. It's just that some of us aren't willing to lose our souls in how we do it.

This thread started off so well to discuss a very important issue.
It is a shame.

”I wonder if the fact that English is so readily available in terms of film and TV, that people have a little English and so wish to come here instead of perhaps, for example, Sweden. ”

Candelle, Sweden has been one of the most generous countries when it comes to refugees and has taken more than the UK.

I believe countries will have to co-operate and we will have to take our share. Mind you, I'm not sure we like to co-operate; we are not always good team players. We prefer to lord it over others. Only my opinion of course.

GrannyGravy13

Taxes do not fund spending

You're right, GG13. The government 'could' invest in the necessary infrastructure tomorrow.

In fact, any tory government since 2010 could have invested in housing, schools,hospitals, training etc. etc. but they landed us with completely unnecessary cuts to public spending because torys don't believe in state spending and because they said the economy was on the rocks and we needed to be like prudent housewives and cut back.

What is a surprise is, that, despite swingeing cuts to public spending, frozen wages etc. the tories managed to borrow record amounts of money over that period (far more than Labour ever did) and no-one seems to know what they spent it on... (it's a bit like that £37 billion on test and trace )

We don’t have to loose our souls, we need more workers in the UK, they have reached their utopia, house migrants in hostels Give them work permits, those that complete 5 yrs have the chance to apply for citizenship.

Maudi

15:59growstuff

It wasn't irrelevant the NHS and doctors surgeries are under strain with all the extra economic migrants coming over in dinghies its pretty obvious.

No, it is not obvious at all. If you are capable of basic maths, you could work out that the number of "economic migrants" (whoever they might be) makes a tiny difference to the pressure on GP surgeries.

The reason GP surgeries are creaking at the seams is that they are underfunded and have been for some time. Meanwhile, GPs have been given more to do and their patient list is getting older and has more complex problems - and the government thinks the solution is to privatise GP surgeries, so a handful of shareholders are making a profit.

Actually I don't know why I bother ...

Aveline

Ah. People have not understood the No1 rule of threads on GN - always agree with volver or she'll continue to browbeat others who have genuine concerns and are not all dreadful people. ?

Unjustified. She tries to point out facts and gets irritated when they are ignored and posters continue to use incorrect terms like “illegals”

Katie59

We don’t have to loose our souls, we need more workers in the UK, they have reached their utopia, house migrants in hostels Give them work permits, those that complete 5 yrs have the chance to apply for citizenship.

Giving them work permits and allowing them to work and contribute to a growth in GDP sounds like a great idea!

misguided bleeding heart liberals
Cannot believe I’m reading these words in 2022.