We are in danger of losing touch with the public on race, immigration and..

[Kaimani 10]

What concerns me the most about immigration is over-population; I don't want our green and pleasant land spoiled by yet more urban sprawl to accommodate a growing population.

 

Immigration has been the main cause of the accelerating population growth. Native Brits on average don't have really big families, whereas the Pakistani community for instance, does.

 

you have a point, to a point. if the 'native Brits' and their small families where left to the country would head towards an inverted population pyramid. we're already heading for that anyway, but it would have been much faster. we actually need more kids to balance it out. but, yes, we here can just, well, do our duty, i suppose.

[AJ sheffield 11]

Not everyone - not me.

 

I do...........

[spinac 10]

"Shock poll shows rising tide of right-wing nationalism"

 

I'm as moderate as they come and the last thing I'd want is to be associated with right wing nationalism. In the interests of fairness to all, we cannot have an open door policy.

 

As in all things balance is required. We need to maintain a sense of fairness for all. To redress the balance we do need to look at immigration controls quite carefully.

 

Immigration Minister Damian Green said the government remained "absolutely committed" to reducing net migration "from the hundreds of thousands to tens of thousands within the lifetime of this Parliament".

 

Some will view the current governement's policy as brave and ambitious, others will say they don't go far enough. My guess is that they'd probably like to go further but are setting a realistic target over the coming years

 

However, I suspect they are not appearing to be tough enough to satisfy the "nationalists".

[Hots on 10]

The mods on here are thinking, oh god, another immigration thread

 

[mj.scuba 10]

I saw this and I was tempted to start a thread on it but I thought it would be better coming from a leftie than a rightie (thanks melthebell much obliged ).

Large parts of the media are billing it as a surge in support for 'the far right'. Upon closer inspection it looks as though the 'research' sponsored by Searchlight is quite flawed, as are the conclusions drawn.

 

A couple of examples I found among the media mass:

 

Some 39% of Asian Britons, 34% of white Britons and 21% of black Britons now believe all immigration into the UK should be stopped permanently or at least until the UK's economic situation improves Source: The Guardian

Well which is it then, permenantly, or until the economy improves? There is no way of knowing what proportion of either sub group would have really meant permenantly, and what proportion only meant until the economy improved. Lumping the two proposals together into a single supposition is plainly wrong and bound to skew any answers, with anybody believing in either option likely to agree.

 

This is what some papers are using to claim, Asians more likely to be anti-immigration than white Britons. Whilst correct, there's only 5% in it. We're meant to be surprised by this, that Asians, migrants or descended of migrants themselves, could possibly hold anti-immigration views. What Labour and the left have failed to appreciate, is that conservative views on immigration are not just a White British phenomenon or a purely right wing one (I seem to recall even Labour starting to acknowledge they had got it wrong on immigration), because mass immigration affects all of us, not just White British, so why shouldn't Asians/British Asians be just as opposed to it?

 

If this research is meant to back up the assertion of rising support for 'the far right', it's rather lame, since Asians would barely ever support the far right.

 

In one of the most revealing questions, pollsters Populus asked people if they would back a party that ‘wants to defend the English, create an English parliament, control immigration and challenge Islamic extremism’. Source: Daily Mail

 

The very question is framed, suggesting that the English indeed do need defending, and if they do need defending from assailants unknown, then who would disagree with defending them? Again it lumps several things together which people might have very different views on each. Any political party would inevitably need a stratagy for dealing with Islamic Extremism if they found themselves in power and I can't see many people denyig that it should be tackled. I would want stronger immigration control, but I wouldn't want an English Parliament. So folk might answer yes, only for agreeing with it in part.

 

And is any of this even right wing at all? Wanting or not wanting an English Parliament? Wanting to defend the English, if they were, theoretically under attack? Tackling Islamic extremism, something which is indiscriminate?

 

 

There are a few more examples, but I've probably already rambled enough (be warned I might have to save them for later )

Edited February 28, 2011 by mj.scuba

[Glamrocker 10]

"Shock poll shows rising tide of right-wing nationalism"

 

I'm as moderate as they come and the last thing I'd want is to be associated with right wing nationalism. In the interests of fairness to all, we cannot have an open door policy.

 

As in all things balance is required. We need to maintain a sense of fairness for all. To redress the balance we do need to look at immigration controls quite carefully.

 

Immigration Minister Damian Green said the government remained "absolutely committed" to reducing net migration "from the hundreds of thousands to tens of thousands within the lifetime of this Parliament".

 

Some will view the current governement's policy as brave and ambitious, others will say they don't go far enough. My guess is that they'd probably like to go further but are setting a realistic target over the coming years

 

However, I suspect they are not appearing to be tough enough to satisfy the "nationalists".

Immigration has spiralled out control hence the governments attitude to it ,they know this and want to be seen to be doing something, somebody ought to tell them ..Too little Too late ,there again they know that but are frightened to take the hard line stance they know is needed.Saying that theres a lot of this coming out of Westminster though, maybe ,just maybe they will have the guts to carry it through then just watch the hideaways and fence sitters come out of the woodwork.

The time has come for a complete stop to immigration and for the Muslim population to be reined in,Iv been labour all my life but Im liking the sound of Cameron et all maybe he's the one to make this country Great again,god knows its been diluted that much.

[Halibut 12]

Immigration has spiralled out control hence the governments attitude to it ,they know this and want to be seen to be doing something somebody ought to tell them ..Too little Too late ,there again they know that but are frightened to take the hard line stance they know is needed.Theres a lot of this coming out of Westminster though maybe ,just maybe they will have the guts to carry it through then just watch the hideaways and fence sitters come out of the woodwork.

The time has come for a complete stop to immigration and for the Muslim population to be reined in,Iv been labour all my life but Im liking the sound of Cameron et all maybe he's the one to make this country Great again,god knows its been diluted that much.

 

No it hasn't.

[spindrift 10]

Immigration has spiralled out control hence the governments attitude to it ,.

 

Net increase inj the population due to immigration was less than a quarter of one per cent last year.

 

Hysterically inflating the figures doesn't help anyone.

[Glamrocker 10]

No it hasn't.

Yes it has,read above even the Asians are saying the same thing.

You dont think Cameron and his mob are saying more or less the same thing just to oppose you do you ,Im sorry I didnt know you were more informed than the Prime minister ,maybe you ought to drop him a line

Edited March 1, 2011 by Glamrocker

[Halibut 12]

Yes it has,read above even the Asians are saying the same thing.

 

I don't care who says it - the facts don't support it.

[Glamrocker 10]

I don't care who says it - the facts don't support it.

What do you know about facts .all you do is sit there and make three or four word futile sentences usually kissing certain peoples posteriors.

[Halibut 12]

What do you know about facts .all you do is sit there and make three or four word futile sentences usually kissing certain peoples posteriors.

 

A damn sight more than you, clearly.