More in the immigration debate

John Page · 29-08-2006, 12:54 PM

Government admits it cannot stop Romanian and Bulgarian migration

There was wide coverage in the weekend press of the issue of migration from Eastern Europe. The Sunday Express reported that an unnamed senior Government source has admitted the UK is powerless to stop the expected influx of Romanians and Bulgarians next year, even if Britain imposes strict “transitional arrangements” to block entry to migrant workers, similar to those imposed by most of the EU on the countries that joined in 2004. He said that Romanians and Bulgarians would be able to enter Britain freely for three months while working illegally. (David rennie's recent blog entry about immigrants is Brussels is relevant here.)

The Mail on Sunday reported that the Romanian Opposition leader Mircea Geoana has warned Tony Blair that he will be challenged in court if he imposes limits on the number of Romanian and Bulgarians allowed to work in Britain. Open Europe was quoted warning that “the only measure the UK Government can actually take under EU law is to restrict the number of who can legally work in the UK by denying them work permits”, but that this could “lead to the worst of all worlds” by turning away those who are prepared to live by the rules while those with no intention of working could still be let in.

The Sunday People quoted Open Europe saying the Government has no idea how many Eastern Europeans there are in the UK, “which causes “serious problems for schools and hospitals.” As part of a long feature on the issue the Sunday Times cited Open Europe’s calculations that the UK can expect 620,000 migrants from Bulgaria and Romania when they join the EU.

The FT reports that around 2 million Romanians already work in EU countries. Of these, around half have gone to Spain and Italy on account of linguistic and cultural similarities, and indeed these countries are expected to account for the “lion’s share” of Romanian emigration.

The Express warns that illegal immigrants from across the world are using Romania as a springboard to Britain and Western Europe by bribing corrupt border officials, saying that more than 50,000 people entered Romania by land, sea and air last year.

Rosemary Righter argued in Monday’s Times in favour of continued immigration from the EU accession states: “The fallacy that there is a finite number of jobs, for which immigrants “unfairly” compete, is a staple of immigration debates. It makes no more economic sense than France’s failed experiment with “creating” jobs by cutting the working week to 35 hours... anyone with an EU passport can travel anywhere in the EU for stays of up to three months. Kick them out, and they can come straight back. The difference is that they would have worked illegally, as thousands are now doing on the Continent”.

harryaldridge · 29-08-2006, 12:59 PM

This is really good news right now. Immigration being dragged into the mainstream is fantastic news for UKIP.

No longer can we be branded as racists as immigration is no longer a taboo topic. The coverage and strength of feeling means that hopefully the public will beocme more educated about the issue, and see how powerless the government is to do anyhting about it.

Our next task is to convince people that leaving the EU is the only way to solve this problem!

kernow · 29-08-2006, 02:38 PM

In my opinion at this moment in time UKIP should be making immigration and it's link with our membership of the EU a priority. It doesn't appear to bother "Joe public" that the EU governs Britain, but it will bother him when it eventually dawns on him that Britain's immigration problem is caused by us being a member of the EU and that we are paying the EU £39 million a day for the privilege!

David Holland · 29-08-2006, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harryaldridge

This is really good news right now. Immigration being dragged into the mainstream is fantastic news for UKIP.

No longer can we be branded as racists as immigration is no longer a taboo topic. The coverage and strength of feeling means that hopefully the public will beocme more educated about the issue, and see how powerless the government is to do anyhting about it.

Our next task is to convince people that leaving the EU is the only way to solve this problem!

I don't think it is good news unless we make a case for limiting immigration.
We do here :-
http://www.ukip.org/index.php?menu=f...=fivefreedoms3

However sadly we do not anywhere else. I was speaking to a friend in Bromley and she said that she was concerned about the number of people to the UK but she did not like UKIP's tone on the subject. The right tone could help a lot.

mkpdavies · 29-08-2006, 04:30 PM

Especially in a PC brainwashed Britain, where people have been told they are scum for even thinking certain things.

David Holland · 29-08-2006, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkpdavies

Especially in a PC brainwashed Britain, where people have been told they are scum for even thinking certain things.

But the right wording eg talking about over crowding would help.
Sadly no one seems to agree with me in UKIP

mkpdavies · 29-08-2006, 04:35 PM

I agree with you.

Loads do.

David Holland · 29-08-2006, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkpdavies

I agree with you.

Loads do.

Well our publicity hasn't changed and in fact it has got less well worded than the in the 5 freedoms.
In some ways we seem to play into the hands of those who tell lies claiming that we are racists.

Robin · 29-08-2006, 06:57 PM

UKIP should keep asking the question in public to the government
How many is the maximum number?

John Page · 29-08-2006, 07:51 PM

Quote:

I was speaking to a friend in Bromley and she said that she was concerned about the number of people to the UK but she did not like UKIP's tone on the subject. The right tone could help a lot.

What's wrong with UKIP's tone?

29-08-2006, 12:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
John Page Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Welwyn Hatfield (Herts.) Posts: 1,878	More in the immigration debate Government admits it cannot stop Romanian and Bulgarian migration There was wide coverage in the weekend press of the issue of migration from Eastern Europe. The Sunday Express reported that an unnamed senior Government source has admitted the UK is powerless to stop the expected influx of Romanians and Bulgarians next year, even if Britain imposes strict “transitional arrangements” to block entry to migrant workers, similar to those imposed by most of the EU on the countries that joined in 2004. He said that Romanians and Bulgarians would be able to enter Britain freely for three months while working illegally. (David rennie's recent blog entry about immigrants is Brussels is relevant here.) The Mail on Sunday reported that the Romanian Opposition leader Mircea Geoana has warned Tony Blair that he will be challenged in court if he imposes limits on the number of Romanian and Bulgarians allowed to work in Britain. Open Europe was quoted warning that “the only measure the UK Government can actually take under EU law is to restrict the number of who can legally work in the UK by denying them work permits”, but that this could “lead to the worst of all worlds” by turning away those who are prepared to live by the rules while those with no intention of working could still be let in. The Sunday People quoted Open Europe saying the Government has no idea how many Eastern Europeans there are in the UK, “which causes “serious problems for schools and hospitals.” As part of a long feature on the issue the Sunday Times cited Open Europe’s calculations that the UK can expect 620,000 migrants from Bulgaria and Romania when they join the EU. The FT reports that around 2 million Romanians already work in EU countries. Of these, around half have gone to Spain and Italy on account of linguistic and cultural similarities, and indeed these countries are expected to account for the “lion’s share” of Romanian emigration. The Express warns that illegal immigrants from across the world are using Romania as a springboard to Britain and Western Europe by bribing corrupt border officials, saying that more than 50,000 people entered Romania by land, sea and air last year. Rosemary Righter argued in Monday’s Times in favour of continued immigration from the EU accession states: “The fallacy that there is a finite number of jobs, for which immigrants “unfairly” compete, is a staple of immigration debates. It makes no more economic sense than France’s failed experiment with “creating” jobs by cutting the working week to 35 hours... anyone with an EU passport can travel anywhere in the EU for stays of up to three months. Kick them out, and they can come straight back. The difference is that they would have worked illegally, as thousands are now doing on the Continent”.

29-08-2006, 04:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,604	Especially in a PC brainwashed Britain, where people have been told they are scum for even thinking certain things. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

29-08-2006, 04:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,604	I agree with you. Loads do. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

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29-08-2006, 12:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
harryaldridge Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Sussex Posts: 1,912	This is really good news right now. Immigration being dragged into the mainstream is fantastic news for UKIP. No longer can we be branded as racists as immigration is no longer a taboo topic. The coverage and strength of feeling means that hopefully the public will beocme more educated about the issue, and see how powerless the government is to do anyhting about it. Our next task is to convince people that leaving the EU is the only way to solve this problem!

29-08-2006, 02:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
kernow Uber Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 5,018	In my opinion at this moment in time UKIP should be making immigration and it's link with our membership of the EU a priority. It doesn't appear to bother "Joe public" that the EU governs Britain, but it will bother him when it eventually dawns on him that Britain's immigration problem is caused by us being a member of the EU and that we are paying the EU £39 million a day for the privilege!

29-08-2006, 06:57 PM	#9 (permalink)
Robin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 759	UKIP should keep asking the question in public to the government How many is the maximum number?