to think immigration is a major threat to this country?

That was not aimed at pogs or sel

Oh... the thread police are back

POGS you're been told, now stop it

That's a shame.

I remember a very serious thread ending up talking about chickens, it just happens, as I am sure we have all observed.

This thread has just turned into a silly farce (without the fun of it) so best left alone as far as I am concerned

Hmmmmm Stephen Glover in DM is saying much the same [spooky musicon]

Well it does seem the Government are trying, belatedly, to do something to stem the tide. If you read the results from the latest census, the reality of Labour's open door policy is fairly obvious. Nothing to do with welcoming potential new votes I suppose

POGS that's just a lure isn't it....Quentin?? I love him The best sketch writer around. His theatre reviews are pretty good too, we normally agree

Sel

Ooh, I hope so!
(but doubt it....)

Sel

Are you my favourite 'Quentin'

when outed! Have spanx on so gripping no problem.

Sel if you read back on this and other threads you will see that quite a few of us have said we read the DM. Have you been a DM journalist yourself? Fact keeps changing when you intepret others' posts. Get a grip, girl!

granjura

Thanks. I have only been to Switzerland once, when I was about 10 years old. Once seen never forgotten, beautiful.

Oh, they do - but only online, and only to pick out the outrageous 'non-stories' that confirm what a ghastly rag it is!

Ana - on my phone so smiley faces beyond me - very funny. I did actually think that when I typed it. Funny how I can virtually feel the spittle at any mention of the daily mail and yet no one reads it.

POGS - although Switzerland is not part of the EU, it has signed many bi-lateral agreements with the EU. So they have to open doors to all EU immigrants, and soon Romania and Bulgaria too. There is no council housing, but all new housing has to include a % of so called affordable housing. There is NO NHS, and everybody HAS TO get health insurance - but if you can't afford it and are in receipt of social help, it gets paid for you by the State. Education is definitely free, and excellent in general.

A very very different situation- but I made the point to indicate that the UK is NOT the European country with the most immigration and certainly not the one with the least space to expand into.

Ana

Yes - I agree Sel. And I can't understand why Debora Meadon raises so many hackles (unless it's the initials...)

Lyndie, POGS, totally agree. I am tired of all the lessons in multi-culturalism. It's not the issue. Oh and I am flattered to likened to DM.

Granjura

I don't know anything about Switzerland so I hope you don't mind me asking.I do not ask out of sarcasm, just interested.

It's not in the E.U. so does Switzerland have to find housing, provide free health care, pay benefits etc, as Britain does for all EU citizens.

Does Switzerland even have free health care, free education and provide benefits similar to Britain.

Does Switzerland keep expanding housing wise to accommodate the influx of migrants if it is a small country like ours but with an even bigger proportion of immigrants.

I was surprised by the level of immigration to Sweden so it is good for us to maybe think how others deal with immigration.

Thank you POGS.

but people who live in cities see it differently. I was born in London and lived there until 4 months ago, I have now moved to Wiltshire. It's a different way of life and I wish I have brought my children up in the country. Are you suggesting you would like East Leicester to become as populated as London?

Lyndie

You probably said the most intelligent thing to date.

"It's the numbers we can't cope with, not the nationalities".

I like that.

It may come as a big surprise to you, that a small country like Switzerland has a much bigger proportion of immigrants than the UK, and with little land available (so much taken up by inhabitable mountains and lakes).

People constantly talk about how small the island is, but it isn't really. From where I lived in East Leicester I could drive all the way to the sea in Norfolk without coming across any large towns, apart from passing by Peterborough. Lincolnshire is almost empty - and so are great swaithes of the North.
Dorset, Devon and Dorset are hardly overcrowded.

Some parts of the UK are overcrowded- but not the UK in general.