Almost 1,000 migrants crossed the Channel yesterday.

His name is Mada Pasa, he is from Afghanistan and has posted his journey to the U.K. on TikTok.

He has apparently now arrived here.

Casdon

There are plenty of thread topics other than controversial areas of news and politics though FriedGreenTomatoes2. If you post inaccurate information about controversial topics you are bound to get informed people pointing out the facts - it’s inevitable. I know it’s tempting to start controversial threads, but do it in the knowledge that others will not always play the way you’d like them to.

This is not a controversial thread

There is nothing controversial about wanting to know who is claiming asylum and why.

There is an asylum seeker in France, he has a tattoo of a Kalashnikov rifle on his cheek. He is constantly posting on social media his intention of shooting Nigel Farage once he is in the U.K.

How many others have similar views I wonder? Are they good at hiding them?

How can we assess whether something is "quite shocking" without quoting/finding facts and figures?
If Albanian prisoners is "quite shocking" how can we rely without knowing if they are or not...

In terms of using sources - I'd say its only occasionally relevant if its in say AIBU or a Chat thread - and then its usually a source for help.

But different in News and Politics.

Quite a few O/P's, for example start with a quote or reference from a newspaper or stating numbers of this or that, or a contentious subject - and ask for our opinions

Any political discussion involving an opinion does rather depend on the information we actually have to hand being reasonably accurate and alternative views being available?

There are plenty of thread topics other than controversial areas of news and politics though FriedGreenTomatoes2. If you post inaccurate information about controversial topics you are bound to get informed people pointing out the facts - it’s inevitable. I know it’s tempting to start controversial threads, but do it in the knowledge that others will not always play the way you’d like them to.

The Fried Green Tomatoes tribe, 😍 it has a certain ring to it, can I be leader?😄

You’re in my tribe Oreo!
You express it well too.

Oh Casdon you are a riot🤣
Just say your own opinion and refute if you can another opinion without demanding chapter and verse or a university education from the poster.
Facts! Evidence!Links! It gets mad on forums sometimes.

I understand your exasperation with me and others Casdon and your attention to detail is admirable.

But we shall have to agree to disagree on what drives a thread along to keep it interesting and yes, entertaining to some degree, to the wider audience on here.

However, continually being ‘called to order’ by one or two prime suspects does inhibit spontaneous and lively discussion.

It’s not a court of law. Although it seems like it sometimes …

“Can I ask my learned friend from whence she drew her viewpoint?”

Gah.
I don’t chat with my friends in such forensic detail. We bat to-and-fro. It’s lively at times. But certainly more engaging.

In my opinion, of course.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

LizzieDrip there are a myriad of reports outlining the fiscal implications of irregular migrants coming here with low skill sets.

Google is your friend.

I don’t have the time or the inclination, sorry.

As an aside - when DID this GN forum cease being a discussion platform? You know - like chatting amongst friends? All this “sources please” and “quotes” stymie spontaneous and interesting exchanges of viewpoints. In my opinion.

Of late it’s become rather like preparing a paper for a dissertation. Turgid. Tedious and (I surmise) for the wider audience on here … boring. I bet very very few folk click on some of these earnestly forwarded links.

Am I right? I’ll bet. 😁

Unsurprisingly I take the opposite view FriedGreenTomatoes2. There is nothing more exasperating to me than people posting their views with little or no knowledge or understanding of what they are posting about, and even worse if they can’t be bothered to find out. Any viewpoint can legitimately be defended, but to be taken seriously surely it has to be based on fact or proven information.

nano14 coming from France or via France, same difference as they’re actually in France.

You are right FriedGreenTomatoes2 😂 I think it’s done as a distraction technique, either that or the poster wants to try and get one over.

Very few arrive from Albania as they are quickly returned

Not true, Nano14.
You see, they keep coming, hoping to arrive and disappear into the ether.

Have you seen the official numbers of Albanians in our prisons? It’s quite shocking.

LizzieDrip there are a myriad of reports outlining the fiscal implications of irregular migrants coming here with low skill sets.

Google is your friend.

I don’t have the time or the inclination, sorry.

As an aside - when DID this GN forum cease being a discussion platform? You know - like chatting amongst friends? All this “sources please” and “quotes” stymie spontaneous and interesting exchanges of viewpoints. In my opinion.

Of late it’s become rather like preparing a paper for a dissertation. Turgid. Tedious and (I surmise) for the wider audience on here … boring. I bet very very few folk click on some of these earnestly forwarded links.

Am I right? I’ll bet. 😁

Freya5

Nano14

Oreo

The thing is, they aren’t all arriving from war torn hell holes, they’re arriving from France.

No, they're arriving from the war torn hell holes via France.

Didn't know there were wars in Albania, Bangladesh or any south Asian country, such as Vietnam.

Very few arrive from Albania as they are quickly returned under the UK/Albania agreement.
Most asylum seekers are from war worn or oppressed countries.
The highest number of arrivals by small boat this year have been from Vietnam, closely followed by Afghanistan, then Iran, Syria and Iraq.

Lizziedrip, how many claimants can the UK admit? Is it unlimited in your view?

As I clearly said before, people should be able to seek asylum and be given all the help they need but the country needs to make sure it knows who is coming in and the circumstances they are ‘fleeing’ from

That’s great nanna.

So we’re in agreement then, that the current system of applying for asylum in the UK is not fit for purpose, because one can only apply for asylum when one is physically on ‘British soil’.

Thereby, it forces genuine asylum seekers to enter the country via irregular routes in order to state their claim.

Well just keep on keeping on and deal with the civil unrest if that is what floats your boat. Vietnam is not at war, it is a lovely country.Last time I looked Albania wasn’t at war,either. As I clearly said before, people should be able to seek asylum and be given all the help they need but the country needs to make sure it knows who is coming in and the circumstances they are ‘fleeing’ from. Commonsense.

FriedGreenTomatoes yes, I’m sure there have been many, many articles written on the subject. Do you have any examples and/or sources?

Here is an extract from an academic study entitled “The Fiscal Effects of Immigration to the UK” by The Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration (CReAM) at
University College London:

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 contribution to its public finances, a reality that contrasts starkly with the view often maintained in public debate

I can provide a link to the entire report, if you wish.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

^should stop viewing immigration as a problem to be solved and start viewing immigrants as an asset to our wonderfully diverse, multi racial country^

Most of these migrants cost the UK taxpayers an awful lot of money though LizzieDrip over their years here. Most are net recipients. Many articles have been written on the subject. Most are not highly skilled engineers, doctors and dentists (people we need) but have a low skill set. They arrive and need benefits to actually get by. Many work under the radar for contacts already here (hence the pull factor as ID is not necessary). We are too soft.

👏👏👏👏👏👏

FriedGreenTomatoes2
Good point. I have seen several interviews of would be immigrants who do have a skill set we need.
I have seen fewer interviews of those who in the second group you mention and I wonder why not.

nanna8

I haven’t got any empathy for them.
My empathy is only with those who go through the correct channels and are given asylum as genuine refugees escaping persecution. I really feel for them and wonder what they are thinking about these queue jumpers and their crooked organisers.

As Lizzie points out, there is no legal method for the majority of asylum seekers. To claim asylum in the UK, you have to be in the UK.

should stop viewing immigration as a problem to be solved and start viewing immigrants as an asset to our wonderfully diverse, multi racial country

Most of these migrants cost the UK taxpayers an awful lot of money though LizzieDrip over their years here. Most are net recipients. Many articles have been written on the subject. Most are not highly skilled engineers, doctors and dentists (people we need) but have a low skill set. They arrive and need benefits to actually get by. Many work under the radar for contacts already here (hence the pull factor as ID is not necessary). We are too soft.

I think the emphasis in the short term has to be efficient processing of applications for asylum.

Because of the lack of assessments over a number of years there is a huge backlog. People arriving know there will be a long wait.

Yes the capability is being built up, no it won't happen overnight - buildings, trained staff.

Safe routes is a problematic one. Needs different countries to agree to processing UK claims in their country and who is responsible for those turned down.

I do think that those turned down for asylum who have no skills we need to be deported back providing its a safe country, which is current UK policy.

Freya there is persecution based on religion and sexual orientation in those countries.

However, personally, I have no issue with people applying to live here on economic grounds i.e. in search of a better life. If, once here, they work and contribute to society, what’s wrong with that - no matter where they come from.

I realise my view is at odds with several posters on this thread but, IMO, we (led by the government) should stop viewing immigration as a problem to be solved and start viewing immigrants as an asset to our wonderfully diverse, multi racial country.

Nano14

Oreo

The thing is, they aren’t all arriving from war torn hell holes, they’re arriving from France.

No, they're arriving from the war torn hell holes via France.

Didn't know there were wars in Albania, Bangladesh or any south Asian country, such as Vietnam.