Why do Asylum Seekers cross the channel on small boats

Chestnut
Whatever argument you put forth, we simply do not have the housing, schools, hospitals, GPs, dentists etc. to keep adding to our population. We can't even keep our waterways clean. How can we possibly cope with an endless stream of new arrivals when we can't provide for those already here?

LizzieDrip
To be angry at immigrants for the housing crisis, cost of living crisis, crumbling schools, hospital waiting lists etc is falsely directed anger. Immigration has not caused any of these issues … the government is responsible for the economic management of a country. The previous government, not immigrants, are responsible … direct your anger at them.

To be angry that there is insufficient housing, schools, NHS facilities, cost of living crisis is totally different from being angry at immigrants.

To ignore or excuse the fact that the situation is not helped by the influx of even more people who need housing, schools, NHS facilities is strange.

It seems as if you disagree that the influx of people is exacerbating the situation which you blame on the previous governments.

Another 700 boat people arrived yesterday. One day!

It seems some of you just cannot see where this is leading. We don't have enough housing etc. to support those already here, so how can we provide for a continuous stream of new arrivals?

Can anyone who has posted in support of endless immigration answer that question please.

LizzieDrip

Agreed M0nica!

I would go even further actually - I do defend the asylum seekers aka ‘illegal immigrant’. If I and my family were in their position we would do the same.

It is inhumane that there are no safe and legal routes for people fleeing war and violence to apply for asylum in this country.

Like you M0nica, I’m interested to hear what others with do in their position … and this is not a ‘hypothetical’ question; it’s lived experience for many.

Isn’t the burning question why they choose a very expensive and perilous way to reach our shores, and why they don’t ask to stay in France?
They don’t all have relatives here or speak good English.

Immigration is only a bonus if it’s rigorously controlled.

Iam64

ronib

MayBee70 The USA withdrew from Afghanistan. In 2021 the Taliban returned to power.

We withdrew along with the USA leaving many people who had worked with the US and UK at risk of death at the hands of the Taliban. In my northern town, the largest group of asylum seekers are from Afghanistan.

It wasn’t as simple as that.
The US had promised the taliban they would be back in power, the US and us and all the other countries couldn’t stay there running the country forever.
The Taliban didn’t wait very long and pushed on through the country taking towns and villages at an alarming rate.That meant the US getting out in an almighty rush, and the same for us and other countries with people in there.We did well to get as many out as we did in that terrible panic to leave.
We then promised to those who worked alongside us as translaters and so on that if they could manage to get out of Afghanistan we would take them.

BevSec of course you’re allowed to be uneasy - that’s your view and your prerogative.

My view is that the hyperbole and rhetoric around immigration has been deliberately stirred up by right wing politicians and media in order to ‘shift the blame’ for the failure of 14 years of austerity, mass privatisation and bad fiscal management by the previous government.

As the above research from University College London finds, the reality is that immigrants make a net financial contribution to the UK’s economy.

Immigration is not a threat; its a bonus.

Lizziedrip, you are correct in saying there are a lot of different factors involved. I am not angry, just deeply uneasy about what is happening, which I am allowed to be!

The Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration at University College London has published a research paper examining the fiscal impact of migration on the UK. Their conclusion is this:

“Our analysis thus suggests that – rather than being a drain on the UK’s fiscal system – immigrants arriving since the early 2000s have made a net contributions to its public finances, a reality that contrasts starkly with the view often maintained in public debate.”
(I can post the link if you wish)

To be angry at immigrants for the housing crisis, cost of living crisis, crumbling schools, hospital waiting lists etc is falsely directed anger. Immigration has not caused any of these issues … the government is responsible for the economic management of a country. The previous government, not immigrants, are responsible … direct your anger at them.

Seeking asylum is a human right in the UK. BevSec.

It's in Article 14 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights . (UN)

Chestnut, you are quite right, the rest of the world has no right to come here whatsoever. Someone in the Daily Mail wrote in to say she is glad she has a terminal illness so will not have to witness the breakdown in our society as a result of the immigration.

Why do you think the whole world has the right to apply for asylum in our little country which already holds 67 million people? We are not the Tardis!

Whatever argument you put forth, we simply do not have the housing, schools, hospitals, GPs, dentists etc. to keep adding to our population. We can't even keep our waterways clean. How can we possibly cope with an endless stream of new arrivals when we can't provide for those already here?

LizzieDrip

Agreed M0nica!

I would go even further actually - I do defend the asylum seekers aka ‘illegal immigrant’. If I and my family were in their position we would do the same.

It is inhumane that there are no safe and legal routes for people fleeing war and violence to apply for asylum in this country.

Like you M0nica, I’m interested to hear what others with do in their position … and this is not a ‘hypothetical’ question; it’s lived experience for many.

Totally agree.

Agreed M0nica!

I would go even further actually - I do defend the asylum seekers aka ‘illegal immigrant’. If I and my family were in their position we would do the same.

It is inhumane that there are no safe and legal routes for people fleeing war and violence to apply for asylum in this country.

Like you M0nica, I’m interested to hear what others with do in their position … and this is not a ‘hypothetical’ question; it’s lived experience for many.

I notice that none of those expressing strong anti-immigrant views on this thread have even mentioned my post about what the immigrants ae fleeing, still less addressed the issue of what hey would do in that situation.

I am not defending the illegal immigrants but it would be nice if some of the critics stopped working on the assumption that every illegal immgrant has left a comfortable life in their own country to swan over here to live on benefits and actually thought about what extreme conditions people have fled to see risking the boat trip to Britain as a better alternative.

it doesn't mean that every single one of those countries is offloading its population onto us...
That map was showing the situation in just one part of the UK. The rest of the country will have a similar story, some areas having more numbers than others, but still people are coming from the whole of Africa and the Middle East, plus of course India and Pakistan etc. Where do you plan to put them all? We are not the Tardis.

When we have over 1 million people on council waiting list for social housing where an earth are these people going to live?

Chestnut

Cossy

Chestnut

And here are some of the countries they come from.

You photographed a map from local TV show, from one organisation that deals with refugees and decided that this reflects refugees across the UK?

I haven't 'decided' anything. But if this shows all those African and Middle Eastern countries are heading to one small part of England then we really are in trouble!

There might only have been one asylum seeker from some of those countries. Just because asylum seekers are coming to the UK from many different countries it doesn't mean that every single one of those countries is offloading its population onto us...

Do get this into perspective...

Full facts
fullfact.org/immigration/are-there-4000-foreign-murderers-and-rapists-living-freely-uk/

on crime, does not back up rumours in the DM.

GG I agree that asylum seekers should not need to use dangerous boats in order to seek refuge. There should be safe and legal routes for them to apply for asylum.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

BevSec

Dr Max Pemberton in the Daly Mail today reports treating a convicted rapist who was indignant about being convicted because the woman he raped was not wearing a hijab so was ok to rape!

Which is appalling and unacceptable and he should be deported. Let’s not tar everyone with the same brush eh

Cossy

Chestnut

And here are some of the countries they come from.

You photographed a map from local TV show, from one organisation that deals with refugees and decided that this reflects refugees across the UK?

I haven't 'decided' anything. But if this shows all those African and Middle Eastern countries are heading to one small part of England then we really are in trouble!

According to the Home Office 703 migrants were detected coming ashore yesterday on 11 boats. Two migrants drowned.

I wonder how many were not detected

This really cannot continue…

The mother of the woman who died after being crushed in a boat has said that the family will continue trying to get across the channel, because it's the only chance they've got. If the death of one of their family doesn't stop them what will?

What does 'it's nice to live in La La Land' actually mean? I do wish people wouldn't speak in meaningless cliches in serious discussions. It can only lead to misunderstandings.