500,000 people.

[Workingman]

That is a population bigger than Bristol. Think of the things needed to support that many people: schools, hospitals, transport, housing, food, water, energy........ They are the ones we know about, there are only guesstimates as to the number of those we don't know.

So, who are they? They are the backlog of unresolved immigrant cases, and it will take 37 years to sort them out. Except that if over that time we get an annual rate of unresolved cases of 10,000 it will become a problem without end.

These people are, officially, not allowed to work, so they do not appear as unemployed, yet they are entitled to some benefits - a cost to the nation.

Maybe it is time to be pragmatic about this. Why don't we have a moratorium on all immigration and an amnesty on those already here and clear the backlog? However, we need to be hard and clear if we do. If people are already here they can stay, but it is only them. There will be no admittance to spouses, children, family. If they do not like the deal we will pay for a one-way ticket out with a year's benefits to allow them to start over - no coming back.

It might sound expensive, but I believe that it is the cheapest option in the long run, and we have to do something.

[cromwell]

Good idea. But the problem with immigration is that there is absolutely no political will to deal with it.

[Aggers]

Good idea. But the problem with immigration is that there is absolutely
no political will to deal with it.

You are dead right, Cromwell.

I'd go so far as to say that there is no political will to do anything worthwhile, and when
they do do anything they never think the matter through, and end up having to do a U-turn.

[KateLMead]

Authorities and governments have been so lax, with the hope the figures well underestimated will go away. In the news are the shacks and sheds in people's back gardens that have not only created eyesores but health risks to immigrants and in many cases those who charge for these shacks are Pakistani's ethnics Romanian
and the ones already given accommodation here.. I can understand how these thousands of people's are quite happy living in and creating ghetto's as they probably escaped from the same w hen they came here.
I am sorry but I blame the English whose population is lesser than the foreigners who have been allowed to swarm by their thousands to this land of milk and honey. Just look at our schools, English now the minority.
And we sit back in silence. I don't for all the good it does as one of a few who write to government and the media. We are those voices in the wilderness. Blame the indeginous who like councils and governments pretend it ain't happening.

[TheOstrich]

Maybe it is time to be pragmatic about this. Why don't we have a moratorium on all immigration and an amnesty on those already here and clear the backlog? .

ONLY if there is absolutely no immigration allowed into this country for the next 5 years.

No claiming of asylum allowed and zero tolerance on anyone found here illegally.

[KateLMead]

Authorities and governments have been so lax, with the hope the figures well underestimated will go away. In the news are the shacks and sheds in people's back gardens that have not only created eyesores but health risks to immigrants and in many cases those who charge for these shacks are Pakistani's ethnics Romanian
and the ones already given accommodation here.. I can understand how these thousands of people's are quite happy living in and creating ghetto's as they probably escaped from the same w hen they came here.
I am sorry but I blame the English whose population is lesser than the foreigners who have been allowed to swarm by their thousands to this land of milk and honey. Just look at our schools, English now the minority.
And we sit back in silence. I don't for all the good it does as one of a few who write to government and the media. We are those voices in the wilderness. Blame the indeginous who like councils and governments
pretend it ain't happening.

It was Falconer of course who flat shared with B'Liar.. Another useless pompous twit like Martin and B'Liar himself

[Workingman]

The 500,000 are on top of Traitor Blair's imports for votes. These are people who probably should not be here, that's why they are so difficult to deal with.... when they can be found!

How much do they cost the country? If it was only £75 per week it would be about £2 billion a year, but they will be costing a lot more than that. At a rough guess it will be £5 billion a year. In times of austerity we cannot afford that. In population growth terms we can never afford them.

[Aggers]

I can't really say what I think about this subject, as there would be a risk of being accused of several 'isms'.

When I leave this mortal world, it will be a totally different world from the one I was born in.

[Suff]

I am very Anti giving them any "go home" pocket money. I would be harder, but hopefully fairer.

Two options.

1. No benefits but can stay in the UK if they can survive on their own means
2. Ticket home for them and their family

There is a simple reason for this. The people at the other end that see them coming back, just see them coming back with a year's money after having lived away. Open floodgates, never ending gravy train.

If, on the other hand, they return, after their sojourn, with the resources they have managed to save and no "gratuity" with the message "shop closed, nothing left to gain", the floodgates are less likely to open. Especially with their home due for EU funds influx in many cases.

For Poles and Easter Europeans, Germany is now "open for business". They can drive there, don't have border issues, can work and easily get funds home. Staying in touch with family is easy and that all adds up. Of course they'd have to learn to speak German, but what foreign job doesn't have a downside???

This is not an ism or anything else. It's good common sense. You came, you worked, now the work is gone. We're thankful and happy to pay your way home, but we're not in the market for paying social fund for the entire EU. Thanks. GoodBye.

[Aggers]

That makes a lot of sense, Suff.