I believe that the net in-flow of immigrants, that we know about, is around 150,000 per year. That isn't a huge problem, but it is a significant one.
I am glad that we can help genuine asylum seekers. I have absolutely no problem with that. Ideally they would be encouraged and assisted to integrate with British society more (although that may already happen enough?).
And I have no problem with skilled workers coming to the UK looking for a better life.
It is the people in between who are giving the rest a bad name. People who are economic migrants from Eastern Europe with no skills and no work lined up. I can't blame them for trying to find better paid work here, and in an ideal world it wouldn't be an issue. However, anecdotal evidence demonstrates many communities feeling overrun and invaded by non-English speakers.
Because of the EU policy of free-flow of labour, anyone in Europe has the right to come and work here now. Despite the claims that the flood didn't arrive as soon as the ten new members joined the EU, since then the numbers have dramatically increased.
As I said, I don't think that this is a huge issue, but it is certainly one that should be carefully monitored and the numbers reduced if possible. We should certainly be doing more to help new citizens integrate by providing English and citizenship lessons.
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