What is it that attracts racists, Islamaphobes, homophobes and general bigots to Nigel Farage?

Ironically, the man who was going to stand as a Reform candidate in this constituency lived in Turkey for fifteen years. He was forced to withdraw as a result of support for the BNP and derogatory comments about immigrants and is now standing as an independent.

Shame really because I'd hoped he might split the extreme right-wing vote here.

There is no obligation in the Refugee Convention, either explicit or implicit, to claim asylum in the first safe country reached by a refugees. Ukraine and Moldova comes to mind. see Doodedog's post above.

Whether that person travelled through several countries before claiming asylum simply has no bearing on fear of persecution at home. It is all about the refugee’s relationship with their country of nationality, not other countries through which the refugee may have passed.

Some politicians in the UK wanted it to be the law that a refugee should be returnable to a safe third country if he or she manages to reach the UK. And, in fact, there is such a system operating within the EU. It’s called the Dublin System. UK was part of it. But the UK is no longer able to participate in that system following Brexit.

And whose fault would that be? Farage and the people who voted Leave perhaps?

Biscuitmuncher

Dickens my dad left Wales for England but didn't expect to be kept at someone else's expense

So he was allowed to use his skills to get a job in England?

I think you're missing the point that things are always different if you have money, Dickens . It helps if you also have connections, and dare I say it a white skin. Someone coming to the UK and refusing to learn the language, sticking with their own kind, eating the food of their homeland etc is considered to be insulting the host nation, but when it happens the other way round it's all ok.

The numptie at Mr Dog's work do didn't speak Spanish, but that was ok, as he was going to live where 'everyone speaks English'. He'd been there on holiday and it was great - 'they even had proper food'. He wasn't going there to work - he was cashing in his pension and retiring early for a better life, as the COL was lower and the weather better. No different from other economic migrants, or those who (like him) are fleeing meteorological circumstances (albeit that tsunamis and earthquakes are rather more serious than rainy summers).

Mt61

Why do they need to get to Britain, after coming through all those countries- any particular reason? I woke up a long time ago, thanks very much

Well those who stay in Italy, Germany, France etc, obviously don't need to get to Britain.

You do realise that they don't all come here?

Dickens my dad left Wales for England but didn't expect to be kept at someone else's expense

Biscuitmuncher

Dickens but does the expat in Spain expect the Spanish people to house and feed him

No, obviously not.

But he was talking about the actual number of immigrants who are domiciled in the UK, not just asylum seekers.

My point was though that people will always seek a better life, it's human nature. Whether it's an impoverished Brit wanting his pension to go further, or an economic migrant looking for a better way of life.

Biscuitmuncher

Dickens but does the expat in Spain expect the Spanish people to house and feed him

No, but if he is still there, he will find migrant levels have increased at the same rate as the UK.

Biscuitmuncher

Dickens but does the expat in Spain expect the Spanish people to house and feed him

Certainly pre-Brexit Spain would have allowed him to work and pay his own rent and grocery bills.

Thank you dickens on the "perception" issue, and how Reform (and so many others in the past, like Enoch Powell) use fear to gain political advantage.

Dickens but does the expat in Spain expect the Spanish people to house and feed him

Something occurred to me today. Prior to Brexit, if a refugee stayed in France but wanted to work in the UK they would have been able to do so because of free movement. Although I assume they would have had to apply for French citizenship?

It's interesting how many people who claim they know those who will emigrate if the new government raise additional rate taxes are so often the same people who object to 'economic migrants' coming here.

On a similar note, I once had a tricky evening at my husband's work Christmas party as I was seated next to someone who was planning to move to Spain (pre-Brexit) because the UK was 'going to the dogs with all the immigrants'. It was so difficult being unable to speak my mind.

Doodledog

Mt61

Why do they need to get to Britain, after coming through all those countries- any particular reason? I woke up a long time ago, thanks very much

Maybe I'm still asleep, or just not 'woke enough', but I've never understood the 'first safe country' thing. It just feels like an abdication of responsibility to me.

If every refugee stayed in the first safe country they came upon, landlocked countries would take almost 100% of the immigrants and islands would get virtually none. Maybe we would get the odd one from Northern France, or Ireland, but what are the chances of that?

Apart from not wanting to do our share, is there any particular reason behind this way of thinking, please?

Maybe I'm still asleep, or just not 'woke enough', but I've never understood the 'first safe country' thing. It just feels like an abdication of responsibility to me.

It's totally impractical and illogical that the 'first safe country' should be the final destination of an immigrant. For the reasons you mention.

On a separate note, I think it should be noted that in terms of refugee population, Turkey has the largest share. Figures vary a tad, but in the region of three and a half million. Mostly from Syria of course.

It's also worth pointing out that there are numbers of asylum seekers who seek refuge close to home - in the hope that they may be able to return at some future date.

They do not all get on boats to come to our shores. Germany and France host more than we do.

We cannot turn the clock back - wars, persecution, poverty have caused people to be on the move. And our own hands are not entirely clean when it comes to interference in some of these nations' affairs.

I don't believe there are many people who would agree to completely unrestrained immigration, although I'm equally sure that Reform will attempt to say otherwise.

I just watched a video where a British man in Spain who went there 20 odd years ago for economic reasons (and the weather of course) was complaining about the number of economic migrants arriving on our shores.

Ah, but he did it legally! Yes, he did - because he had that option.

It is the most natural state for a human being who is impoverished to seek to improve his fortunes. Humans have been doing it for centuries.

How we deal with it now is another matter. It's a global issue and needs a global solution. Because it's going to get more intense with the ravages of war and climate.

Sorry- correction- he called the woman an "offensive thick moron"

Hmm, so Reform's " autistic people are vegetables " charmer also referred to a woman who disagreed woth him as a " thick moron" and told her " not to breed".
Referring back to the question posed by the OP, I wonder how low Mr Farage's selection process set the bar for acceptance?
He has not been de- selected and will be standing for Reform tomorrow.
Would any Reform supporters care to comment on this?

Mt61

Kandinsky

Mt61

I wouldn’t waste your time talking sense on this board, they’d be happy if a 5000 illegals arrived by small boats every day. They think it’s a wonderful thing.

They haven’t got the foresight to realise the consequences

They?

Mt61

Why do they need to get to Britain, after coming through all those countries- any particular reason? I woke up a long time ago, thanks very much

Maybe I'm still asleep, or just not 'woke enough', but I've never understood the 'first safe country' thing. It just feels like an abdication of responsibility to me.

If every refugee stayed in the first safe country they came upon, landlocked countries would take almost 100% of the immigrants and islands would get virtually none. Maybe we would get the odd one from Northern France, or Ireland, but what are the chances of that?

Apart from not wanting to do our share, is there any particular reason behind this way of thinking, please?

Ha ha ha, oops Coronation Street nearly finished now.

Oreo

Yes I see from your posts you know just about everything 😂

Oh, I wish!

Oreo

Give it up Growstuff on the Huntley situation.It was everything to do with the school and the school house he lived in.

How dare you? No, I won't give up. It was do with the fact that his girlfriend worked in the school where the girls were pupils. She didn't have any convictions. If Huntley was set to harm the girls, it wouldn't have mattered where he lived or where he worked.

Yes I see from your posts you know just about everything 😂

Oreo

I know about DBS checks btw for my job.

And I knew about them for the job I did. I also know about the requirements for other jobs and the rules about "spent" convictions.

Give it up Growstuff on the Huntley situation.It was everything to do with the school and the school house he lived in.

Oreo

It also very much depends on the nature of the crimes.
We don’t need people working in many situations where a check on their past is impossible to carry out.

That's what I've been saying. Of course there are jobs where the employee's background needs to be squeaky clean, but there are others where it doesn't matter.