Matt Goodwin

Oreo

In the past, immigrants most usually did integrate well into our society as there weren’t all that many, unlike now.
In the 20th century I’m thinking of : Irish, Hungarians, Polish,
Lithuanian and German, as well as those from the Colonies.
Also Chinese and Italians.
When any society can absorb immigrants easily it’s never a problem but when numbers are too high it always is a problem.
All of Europe is struggling with too much immigration, but being a very small country I think it’s felt more here.

The UK population has risen from about 67 million in 2020 to nearly 70 million today, driven almost entirely by the high levels of net migration.

So many here on GN are not affected by the increasing numbers of legal and illegal immigration adding to this population explosion, and therefore do not fully understand what is happening in other parts of the country

In some parts of London, such as Tower Hamlets, white British residents are now a minority (31%), and in places like Whitechapel or Southall, the signage on the underground stations are in other languages such as Bengali or Punjabi. It raises questions on whether integration is working or even sought after.

By contrast, in places I’ve visited such as Norfolk, the North East and the West Country, immigration levels are much lower and newcomers often seem to integrate more easily and become part of the community.

For many people the concern isn’t about individuals coming to the UK, but about the scale and pace of migration and whether housing, healthcare, schools and other services can keep up.

Discussing those pressures shouldn’t automatically be dismissed as racism.

twaddle

Oreo

It’s also put massive pressure on state schools.

Immigration isn't the biggest driver of scarcity of state school places. New housing is.

That is certainly true where I live. There is a lot of housebuilding surrounding my home town, and the houses are all of the 'detached with lots of bed and bathrooms' variety - so aimed at families. The builders always plug the fact that the local school has an Excellent rating, but the truth is that buying a house is no guarantee that your children will get a place, and buyers post furiously on local SM about having to bus their children to other less highly rated schools in other towns. It also causes resentment from long-term residents of my home town, who can't get their children into local schools because of 'incomers' on the new estates.

It's nobody's fault. People have to live somewhere, whether they were born in the town or not, and that logic applies to whether they were born in the country or not. The problem is that we need more schools, not that we need fewer people.

MollyNew

Funny, isn't it, that Brits who leave this country are thought of as ex pats but anyone from any other country who moves anywhere else is an immigrant?

It seems especially those who choose to go and live in Dubai...

MartavTaurus

IF there were fewer immigrants our class sizes would undoubtedly be smaller then. Whichever way you look at it we do not have sufficient teachers to cope with numbers.

No, they wouldn't necessarily. Schools would receive less money, so could employ fewer teachers. In primary schools, they might need to have mixed age classes. In secondary schools, it would mean that fewer options for exam classes would be offered.

Funny, isn't it, that Brits who leave this country are thought of as ex pats but anyone from any other country who moves anywhere else is an immigrant?

MartavTaurus

Vintagewhine

We don't have enough workers in all sorts of key sectors which is why we're issuing work visas to people who want to come here to work. We're an ageing population we need economically active people to pay the taxes to provide the services we all need especially as we get older.

I agree, but they won't become teachers overnight. It will take at least 5 or 6 years, and that's if they have the necessary levels in the first place.

We can all find figures. While actual demand may not be increasing, the provision obviously isn't there for any more new pupil entrants. Unless of course we are happy with classes of 30+.

Report from 2025 ...........

Primary schools at or over capacity in 2023/24 = 16%

Secondary schools at or over capacity in 2023/24 = 24%

How many are under-capacity or have closed down due to falling pupil numbers? The problem is that local authorities try to be "lean" and not have spare capacity. Pupil numbers fluctuate, so the flexibility for extra spaces isn't there when needed. There are also local issues of more popular and "sink" schools. It is very common for one or two schools to be massively oversubscribed, while similar schools not far away have empty seats.

A town might have 5000 places and 4500 pupils, but still have over-subscribed schools, so that parents think there is a shortage of places. Planning permission could then be given, so that 500 more pupils are expected. People are up in arms, claiming there are no places. In reality, there are enough spaces (except they're in unpopular schools). No local authority will build a new school until all the places are filled.

It would be highly unusual for 500 new immigrant children to descend on a town, whereas 500 children in a new-build estate wouldn't be that unusual.

Excuse me cossy, but the British people who leave to live permanently in Spain etc, who don't integrate, learn the language, are not immigrants, they are that exceptional category ex pats.

Oh, and in France, it's interesting to note that the government sends a letter to every French national at the age of 29 to produce more homegrown children! Obviously Macron wants to promote the conception of indigenous French babies - even though he himself is a bit lacking in that area! 😆

Graphite

^Some empty houses on Millionaires Row won’t solve that, neither would building on grouse moors or up mountains.^

That isn’t what I said.

If you would care to look at the data, you would see that the million long term empty homes are all over England encompassing both urban and rural areas.

static1.squarespace.com/static/6553693f7d629a133b6a4ece/t/6930a237c226f15c8bcdc151/1764794935462/data+overview+THIS+ONE.pdf

The data is compiled from local authority records on council tax.

Alphabetically:

•Babergh (Sudbury and Hadleigh) population around 100,000) one in every 27 homes long term empty.

•Basildon (population around 200,000) one in every 36 homes long term empty.

•Bedford (population around 200,000) one in every 33 homes long term empty.

•Braintree (population around 160,000) one in every 30 homes empty.

•Breckland (population around 150,000) one in every 30 homes long term empty.

•Brentwood (population around 80,000) one in every 24 homes long term empty.

….

Think of the size of the average urban street and that’s equivalent to one home in every one of them sitting empty - while 325,000 people are trapped in temporary accommodation or sleeping rough.

Again, it all points to the inequality in our society.

Wherever people live, there is work of some kind ... and you can bet that there will be people complaining because it isn’t being done.

As for children and school places, isn’t one of Goodwin’s (and Reform policy) for women to have more children and to penalise that don’t? He advocates:

•"Negative Child Benefit" Tax: Introducing a tax for individuals who do not have children.

•Income Tax Changes: Removing personal income tax entirely for women who have two or more children.

•Encouraging Earlier Childbearing: In November 2024, Goodwin stated that "young girls and women" need a "biological reality" check, arguing that many women in Britain are having children "much too late in life.

All of these larger families will need larger homes and more school places

Well on the way to Kinder, Ruche, Kirche!

Vintagewhine

We don't have enough workers in all sorts of key sectors which is why we're issuing work visas to people who want to come here to work. We're an ageing population we need economically active people to pay the taxes to provide the services we all need especially as we get older.

I agree, but they won't become teachers overnight. It will take at least 5 or 6 years, and that's if they have the necessary levels in the first place.

We can all find figures. While actual demand may not be increasing, the provision obviously isn't there for any more new pupil entrants. Unless of course we are happy with classes of 30+.

Report from 2025 ...........

Primary schools at or over capacity in 2023/24 = 16%

Secondary schools at or over capacity in 2023/24 = 24%

Some empty houses on Millionaires Row won’t solve that, neither would building on grouse moors or up mountains.

That isn’t what I said.

If you would care to look at the data, you would see that the million long term empty homes are all over England encompassing both urban and rural areas.

static1.squarespace.com/static/6553693f7d629a133b6a4ece/t/6930a237c226f15c8bcdc151/1764794935462/data+overview+THIS+ONE.pdf

The data is compiled from local authority records on council tax.

Alphabetically:

•Babergh (Sudbury and Hadleigh) population around 100,000) one in every 27 homes long term empty.

•Basildon (population around 200,000) one in every 36 homes long term empty.

•Bedford (population around 200,000) one in every 33 homes long term empty.

•Braintree (population around 160,000) one in every 30 homes empty.

•Breckland (population around 150,000) one in every 30 homes long term empty.

•Brentwood (population around 80,000) one in every 24 homes long term empty.

….

Think of the size of the average urban street and that’s equivalent to one home in every one of them sitting empty - while 325,000 people are trapped in temporary accommodation or sleeping rough.

Again, it all points to the inequality in our society.

Wherever people live, there is work of some kind ... and you can bet that there will be people complaining because it isn’t being done.

As for children and school places, isn’t one of Goodwin’s (and Reform policy) for women to have more children and to penalise that don’t? He advocates:

•"Negative Child Benefit" Tax: Introducing a tax for individuals who do not have children.

•Income Tax Changes: Removing personal income tax entirely for women who have two or more children.

•Encouraging Earlier Childbearing: In November 2024, Goodwin stated that "young girls and women" need a "biological reality" check, arguing that many women in Britain are having children "much too late in life.

All of these larger families will need larger homes and more school places

We don't have enough workers in all sorts of key sectors which is why we're issuing work visas to people who want to come here to work. We're an ageing population we need economically active people to pay the taxes to provide the services we all need especially as we get older.

IF there were fewer immigrants our class sizes would undoubtedly be smaller then. Whichever way you look at it we do not have sufficient teachers to cope with numbers.

No, demand is not increasing overall. AI overview:

Demand for school places is not increasing nationally in the UK; in fact, overall pupil numbers are falling, causing a rise in spare capacity, particularly in primary schools. While primary applications dropped by almost 1% and secondary by almost 2% in 2025, regional shortages still exist, especially in areas with high housing growth.
GOV.UK

Key Trends in School Demand
Declining Primary Demand: Due to a lower birth rate, the number of pupils in primary schools has been falling since 2018–19.
Secondary School Peak: Pupil numbers in secondary schools appear to have peaked in 2023–24 and are now beginning to see a decline.
Increased Empty Spaces: As the "baby boom" cohort moves through the system, the percentage of unfilled primary school places is projected to rise, with some areas like Inner London projecting 30% empty places in the coming years.
Regional Variations: While urban areas like London face significant dips in demand leading to potential school closures, some areas with new housing developments may still experience localized pressure for places.
Niche Demand Rising: Despite the general trend, demand for specific types of schooling, such as Irish-language education, has increased significantly.
GOV.UK

Oreo

It’s also put massive pressure on state schools.

Yes, immigration does indeed put pressure on state school places. The reason being that young immigrants tend to have more infants in the first place. Whether that's to do with their fertility, I don't know, but they produce more children, who automtomatically need an education . So it's a fact that the demand for school places is increasing, and will grow exponentially.

I'm curious as to why you think OP that providing a link to something from the Daily Mail would mean you would be imprisoned?

How would that work please?

Why is it ok for your GC to, “emigrate”, OP but not migrants to come to the UK?

The book sounds like a load of racist loblocks.

Oreo

It’s also put massive pressure on state schools.

I have to smile, simply because of the “why are all the asylum seekers fit young men” if this is true, they cannot also be responsible for lack of GPs, state school places hospital appointments and dentists

A book written by a grifter who wants to make a little bit more money than he already has- bet he had a nice advance sales package because it will be on certain cheap book sites very soon for next to nothing...

Meandrogrog

MayBee70

“It is a story of how a people are losing their own country. Mass uncontrolled immigration, porous borders, 'two-tier multiculturalism', and a draconian regime of censorship are all contributing to not just the transformation of a country and a people but their very replacement”
If we have a draconian regime of censorship how come this book has been published and featured in a daily newspaper ?

I did wonder that myself, given the stifling of free speech. If I put what I thought I am sure I would be banned from this site and possibly imprisoned to boot!

I am not surprised at the reaction of posters so far. For my own point of view I would like my grandchildren to emigrate as far from this country as possible, New Zealand would be good.

If New Zealand is so good why has emigration doubled in the past 4 years?

I doubt you will find those vacant houses on millionaires row, and you certainly won’t find many of them in villages. They are above shops, in formerly industrialised areas which have lost their industries, and where owners either can’t be traced or have died and probate is complex.
The NHS crisis is not caused by migrants either, it’s caused by sustained government underfunding. Fit young men in particular are low users of healthcare, it’s the older generation getting older that is the root of the issues. The dental crisis is of government making.

Oreo

It’s also put massive pressure on state schools.

Immigration isn't the biggest driver of scarcity of state school places. New housing is.

It’s also put massive pressure on state schools.

There’s a housing crisis, a dentist crisis and an NHS crisis as numbers of people coming to the UK have accelerated.
Some empty houses on Millionaires Row won’t solve that, neither would building on grouse moors or up mountains.
Immigrants go where the work is and not to villages.

Oreo

Meandrogrog

BlueBelle

I m very content with how my country looks Meandrogrog
I ve lived long enough to be used to the hatred spewed out to various ethnic populations by racists and I m very far from content with racism
Hopefully one day we will eradicate these racists from our shores perhaps we can swap them and send them off in little
(or big) boats

I m much rather live next door to a Muslim than a racist

Its that word again, the one always, always used. Its overused, meaningless, accusatory while being quite untrue.

Absolutely, racist is losing its meaning on SM as it's so overused and wrongly used.
Glad that you’re happy with the state of our country BlueBelle but very very many people certainly aren’t and no it’s not all about immigration per se but the truth is that sheer numbers are putting a strain on all the infrastructure of life here.

Exactly
Maybe many others on GN are also in agreement but are reluctant to post as they are likely to be shot down in flames and labelled racists, as has already happened on this thread