Why Does This Country Depend So Much On Immigration?

[anotheoldgit]

We are constantly being told that this country could not carry on without immigration, fruit would lie rotting on the ground, crops not gathered, companies closed etc,etc.

What I ask is how did this once great country manage to make this country the country it once was without depending on people from foreign shores, taking into account that we had more industries to run mainly by male workers only since most ladies did not work away from home as they were classed as house wives, looking after the home and any children they had.

[pixie374]

It's hard to tell, really. We do rely on immigrant workers, due to an increasing population... but that obviously includes immigrants, so it is a bit of a vicious circle, really.
If we literally (hypothetically) somehow returned to only having white, British natives living here- then possibly we would manage, as the jobs we "need" which are not well-paid, would have to increase wages, in order to attract people. It goes without saying, that the more potential employees there are, the less needs to be paid for them.
I think, we just cannot tell.

[Theland]

Our country is more congested than France or Germany, yet the immigrants bypass these to come here.
We get a million more every three years, like a city the size of Birmingham.
We indigenous people foot the bill, suffer from housing shortages, strain on health and education, and we don't need them.
Oh for repatriation.

[margarettom]

We need immigrants because numbers of people, including skilled workers, emmigrate from this country every year.

[AuntPollyGrey]

Margaret only skilled workers are allowed to emigrate! Most countries won't take you as an immigrant unless you can look after yourself for at least 6 months and have a trade or profession.

[Theland]

A lot of northern mill towns, like our Capital, resemble Pakistan.
Is there any point in being English?
We are in the middle of Ethnicide.
Ethnic cleansing by degrees.

[Theland]

Marg - No wonder.

[margarettom]

Actually, APG, I included the immigrants who return 'home' so realise emigrate was the wrong word. Sorry.

[AuntPollyGrey]

no need to apologise Margaret -I know what you mean. Some Eu'ers come for just a few years to the Uk to set themselves up back home then return. At least those ones work though.

[New Judge]

//We get a million more every three years,...//

We get a lot more than that. What you quote is the disingenuous "net" migration figure. In the year ended last March 612,000 people arrived to settle here. That figure was offset by 385,000 people upping sticks, leaving a "net" figure of 227,000. Figures for earlier recent years are similar meaning we receive more like two million new arrivals in three years.

The net figure disguises the "population exchange" that is taking place. As noted, other countries (outside the EU where they control their own affairs) do not readily accept unskilled migrants or those unable to support themselves. Consequently most of those leaving tend to be higher skilled or high net worth individuals. By contrast many of those arriving often take unskilled work. Like the half dozen or so Eastern Europeans who gather at my local McDonalds, sitting outside all day on their motor scooters waiting for an order for a .99p burger to be delivered to the local council estate (the delivery probably costing more than the food). Or the "builder" engaged by a local couple who demolished the internal walls of house not far from me causing the building to partially collapse and render them homeless. Indeed we cannot do without those skills and they must boost the nation's GDP enormously.

[THECORBYLOON]

APG, you said, "There should be no-one on the dole these days, they should be made to work"

How is that possible when there are 800,000 vacancies and 1.31 million folk unemployed?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/business-50388220

[Theland]

What worries me is the future inevitable violence.
Look at what happened in Northern Ireland on both sides when people trod on their toes.
Our indigenous people will do the same if not more to reclaim the country.

[anotheoldgit]

Zacs_Master
/// Wen was this country great, AOG ///

Never heard of Great Britain?

[GymLadTim]

I worked in a care home for a while and most of the staff were immigrants from both inside and outside the EU. Fantastic hard working committed people - I remember one polish lady who used to cycle miles to come to work only to earn the living wages wiping bottoms. They were never fully staffed and recruitment was a nightmare.

I do think we have a section of section of society who are unemployable British people. Sometime generations of families have not worked and there are all kings of substance misuse and mental health problems. If we want to get people in these communities back working it's going to need a lot of investment in services and education but I don't see that happening any time soon.

[THECORBYLOON]

ANOTHEOLDGIT,
"Zacs_Master 
/// Wen was this country great, AOG /// 

Never heard of Great Britain?"

As there is a Great Britain still, does that not defeat your argument?

[pixie374]

Tim, if you have worked in a care home and think it is mostly about "wiping bottoms", you weren't very suited to it. I do agree, that you get every nationality, colour and option of staff in these places. And the vast majority are brilliant.
While there are British people who have substance or mental health problems, laziness can also be an issue... as far as I am aware, the rules now, do make sure people are better off, in any kind of work, than unemployed. But of course, if you have the entire world to choose staff from... it goes without saying, that wages would drop.

[GymLadTim]

Sorry pixie I don't think care work is mostly about wiping bottoms I just meant it's not very glamourous work and some of the residents were quite challenging and sometimes racially abusive.

[pixie374]

Yes, that is true... thankfully everyone has to be qualified now, and properly trained. The money here, is around £9/hr for a newly qualified carer... but social care still doesn't seem to be a priority.
With regards to the OP... if we really only had native British people to choose from, the wages would have to be much higher, to attract the staff.

[pastafreak]

I have a few co-workers who admit that they would easily benefit financially if they lived on benefits. But, because they love their jobs, the organisation they work for and the clients they are employed to help...it's just not an option. Why can't the workforce be paid a worthwhile wage. As it is, working for a charity, we all get the voluntary living wage...but would get more doing the same support work elsewhere.

[pixie374]

I really thought that the most recent changes were a sliding scale- and that working any number of hours at any amount- would still guarantee that you were better off than not working at all. Is that not right?

[pastafreak]

I'm not really familiar with the current system...though these co-workers are.