| Blair, immigration and what official documents show 06:40 - Dec 31 with 977 views | AnotherJohn |
One of the issues that has bubbled away in forum discussions is the question of whether policies introduced by Tony Blair in the early 2000s opened the way for the recent explosion in immigration numbers. A crucial juncture came when the so-called A-8 eastern European countries joined the EU in 2004. Existing members were given the option of suspending freedom of movement for A-8 nationals for a transitional period, but the UK government decided not to impose any restrictions. As it turned out, the predicted number of incomers was a huge under-estimate. Now, as documents are released under the 20 year rule, we know that Mr Blair pushed through this decision against advice from senior cabinet members such as Straw and Prescott. Interestingly, Blunkett who has tried to distance himself from this in recent years, was also one of the prime movers.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/tony-blair-s-spectacular-mistake-on-migrat
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/blair-s-government-opened-uk-borders-to-ea
As many have observed already, the UK migration research community did not exactly come out of the A-8 episode with flying colours. Labour relied on figures from a study by Christian Dustmann and his team at UCL, which proved to be well wide of the mark. Dustmann’s excuse has been that “sensitivity analysis” in the study mentioning other possible scenarios did include a scenario where higher numbers might arrive, but at the time this was not the line that UCL pushed.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21682810
https://www.migrationwatchuk.org/news/2015/04/22/full-fact-on-east-european-migr
[Post edited 31 Dec 2024 6:41]
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| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 09:07 - Dec 31 with 912 views | Scotia |
The Blair government allowing completely free movement of people at that time, particularly as one of very few EU countries to do so was a mistake, but I don't think it is related to the current issues that we see with unsustainble new migration figures.
Back in the 2000's most immigrants were skilled or semi skilled Eastern Europeans who have subsequently gone back home.
Nowadays we have a huge increase in foreign students because universities rely on them to survive, refugees and asylum seekers due to unprecedented global insecurity for which there has been a huge backlog in processing and an inability or unwillingness to stop them arriving, a huge deficit in a native workforce for various reasons whilst the gig economy has exploded and the departments responsible for ensuring workers are legally employed has seen substantial cuts but increased workload.
All against the backdrop of a huge cut in public spending and services.
We're in a far greater mess now than in the early 2000's. | | | |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 10:12 - Dec 31 with 858 views | SullutaCreturned |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 09:07 - Dec 31 by Scotia |
The Blair government allowing completely free movement of people at that time, particularly as one of very few EU countries to do so was a mistake, but I don't think it is related to the current issues that we see with unsustainble new migration figures.
Back in the 2000's most immigrants were skilled or semi skilled Eastern Europeans who have subsequently gone back home.
Nowadays we have a huge increase in foreign students because universities rely on them to survive, refugees and asylum seekers due to unprecedented global insecurity for which there has been a huge backlog in processing and an inability or unwillingness to stop them arriving, a huge deficit in a native workforce for various reasons whilst the gig economy has exploded and the departments responsible for ensuring workers are legally employed has seen substantial cuts but increased workload.
All against the backdrop of a huge cut in public spending and services.
We're in a far greater mess now than in the early 2000's. |
Not related? Maybe the massive surge that did happen, 853,000 Polish was it? Maybe that drew the attention of others?
Then with open borders across Europe people saw the opportunity, the immigration boom isn;t a recent thing after all and for decades we have had a lot of illegal immigrants.
What if, all across Asia and Africa they heard stories of people coming to the UK for work and believed it was the land of milk and honey? Specially when the crime gangs got involved and probably started pushing that line...it's great in the UK, free homes, free money, health care and we can get you there...
How many people try to get into Russia every year? | | | |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 11:10 - Dec 31 with 833 views | onehunglow |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 10:12 - Dec 31 by SullutaCreturned |
Not related? Maybe the massive surge that did happen, 853,000 Polish was it? Maybe that drew the attention of others?
Then with open borders across Europe people saw the opportunity, the immigration boom isn;t a recent thing after all and for decades we have had a lot of illegal immigrants.
What if, all across Asia and Africa they heard stories of people coming to the UK for work and believed it was the land of milk and honey? Specially when the crime gangs got involved and probably started pushing that line...it's great in the UK, free homes, free money, health care and we can get you there...
How many people try to get into Russia every year? |
Not sure
A . Ruskies have that good a NHS
B winters are brutal
C Russians often sub human
D Ruskies deeply institutionased racist
Not many black politicians are there | |
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| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 12:39 - Dec 31 with 792 views | Boundy |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 09:07 - Dec 31 by Scotia |
The Blair government allowing completely free movement of people at that time, particularly as one of very few EU countries to do so was a mistake, but I don't think it is related to the current issues that we see with unsustainble new migration figures.
Back in the 2000's most immigrants were skilled or semi skilled Eastern Europeans who have subsequently gone back home.
Nowadays we have a huge increase in foreign students because universities rely on them to survive, refugees and asylum seekers due to unprecedented global insecurity for which there has been a huge backlog in processing and an inability or unwillingness to stop them arriving, a huge deficit in a native workforce for various reasons whilst the gig economy has exploded and the departments responsible for ensuring workers are legally employed has seen substantial cuts but increased workload.
All against the backdrop of a huge cut in public spending and services.
We're in a far greater mess now than in the early 2000's. |
How many foreign students ( the ones who work down the stadium for example ) are claiming benefits, I agree with the unwillingness of governments to stem the flow , in fact since Labour came into power 22,000 have arrived to boost the unemployment figures, what Blair did was unforgiveable despite reservations and solid advice he went ahead and we're now reaping what he sowed .Do you ever wonder where are all these single male illegals are living , the impact on local councils has been enormous and the knock on affect to those who were born here has been to see as you say a huge cut in public spending and services because that money has to go elsewhere to support the influx of the great unwashed. | |
| "In a free society, the State is the servant of the people—not the master." |
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| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 14:49 - Dec 31 with 746 views | Scotia |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 12:39 - Dec 31 by Boundy |
How many foreign students ( the ones who work down the stadium for example ) are claiming benefits, I agree with the unwillingness of governments to stem the flow , in fact since Labour came into power 22,000 have arrived to boost the unemployment figures, what Blair did was unforgiveable despite reservations and solid advice he went ahead and we're now reaping what he sowed .Do you ever wonder where are all these single male illegals are living , the impact on local councils has been enormous and the knock on affect to those who were born here has been to see as you say a huge cut in public spending and services because that money has to go elsewhere to support the influx of the great unwashed. |
Very few I would have thought. There may be a few post grads claiming child benefit but not many. Ultimately they're supporting the biggest employer in the city, and many are working. In my experience the only ones who don't work are the most well off Chinese and Korean students
22,000 may have arrived but over 10,000 have been deported, a big increase on the last government.
They aren't living in council properties, at least legally, a single male has virtually no chance of any form of council accomadation no matter where they originally came from. The Students, pretty much all of them live in student accomadation. I'd guess the illegal workers all live in illegal or overoccupied HMO's.
The biggest problem is asylum seekers, which is exactly why they need to be processed and deported if possible and not considered genuine refugees. We are now doing that. We legally have to provide them with accomadation - but they get very little else. Realistically we can't have them living on the streets, the place would be a ghetto. Stopping them getting here would be usefull too - again the current government are getting somewhere with that too. | | | |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 15:04 - Dec 31 with 721 views | Scotia |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 10:12 - Dec 31 by SullutaCreturned |
Not related? Maybe the massive surge that did happen, 853,000 Polish was it? Maybe that drew the attention of others?
Then with open borders across Europe people saw the opportunity, the immigration boom isn;t a recent thing after all and for decades we have had a lot of illegal immigrants.
What if, all across Asia and Africa they heard stories of people coming to the UK for work and believed it was the land of milk and honey? Specially when the crime gangs got involved and probably started pushing that line...it's great in the UK, free homes, free money, health care and we can get you there...
How many people try to get into Russia every year? |
The current immigrants are a completely different demographic, and our economy is different.
Open borders across Europe didn't help but neither did the arrogance of the Johhnson administration in dealing with Merkel / Macron, we needed to keep them on side we didn't and they decided not to cooperate.
Students are being encouraged to come here becasue they bring a fortune, care workers are needed becasue we don't have our own and that's before you consider the illegal workers.
Blair's policy allowed people to work here legally they can't now (as easily) so they've gone back to Europe. Now we have 5 barber shops in every high street, a similar number of nail bars, hundreds of take aways (and deliveroo/just eat riders), a car wash on most street corners, Uber taxi drivers from all around the place - these have been allowed to open and operate with impunity and without the border force / HMRC resources to inspect them. Close them down and the illegals will follow the Poles out of the country.
If everyone who is considering voting reform stopped using these services it would also have a noticeable effect.
Immigrants want to get rich, at least relatively, they won't do that on benefits. | | | |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 16:55 - Dec 31 with 683 views | SullutaCreturned |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 15:04 - Dec 31 by Scotia |
The current immigrants are a completely different demographic, and our economy is different.
Open borders across Europe didn't help but neither did the arrogance of the Johhnson administration in dealing with Merkel / Macron, we needed to keep them on side we didn't and they decided not to cooperate.
Students are being encouraged to come here becasue they bring a fortune, care workers are needed becasue we don't have our own and that's before you consider the illegal workers.
Blair's policy allowed people to work here legally they can't now (as easily) so they've gone back to Europe. Now we have 5 barber shops in every high street, a similar number of nail bars, hundreds of take aways (and deliveroo/just eat riders), a car wash on most street corners, Uber taxi drivers from all around the place - these have been allowed to open and operate with impunity and without the border force / HMRC resources to inspect them. Close them down and the illegals will follow the Poles out of the country.
If everyone who is considering voting reform stopped using these services it would also have a noticeable effect.
Immigrants want to get rich, at least relatively, they won't do that on benefits. |
The demographic doesn't matter. You said the current situation wasn't related to....I gave a reason why it could be, people seeing what was going on and thinking (mistakenly as it goes) that the UK is a land of milk and honey and they'd have it made here. Why else will people pay over thousands, for a family possibly tens of thousands to people smugglers to get to our shores?
Theynthink we'll give them everything but when they get here, they find out it's not true. Last year there was an African fella who gave an interview to Wales online, he said he was living on Ysguborfach street and he hated it, wished he could go home. He was surrounded by scumbags, crooks and druggies and didn't feel safe. There was another one who gave an interview to the Sun,
thesun.co.uk/news/1897803/jobless-asylum-seeker-who-fled-hell-in-war-torn-african-state-eritrea-says-his-life-is-now-worse-in-swansea/ | | | |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 20:01 - Dec 31 with 644 views | Scotia |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 16:55 - Dec 31 by SullutaCreturned |
The demographic doesn't matter. You said the current situation wasn't related to....I gave a reason why it could be, people seeing what was going on and thinking (mistakenly as it goes) that the UK is a land of milk and honey and they'd have it made here. Why else will people pay over thousands, for a family possibly tens of thousands to people smugglers to get to our shores?
Theynthink we'll give them everything but when they get here, they find out it's not true. Last year there was an African fella who gave an interview to Wales online, he said he was living on Ysguborfach street and he hated it, wished he could go home. He was surrounded by scumbags, crooks and druggies and didn't feel safe. There was another one who gave an interview to the Sun,
thesun.co.uk/news/1897803/jobless-asylum-seeker-who-fled-hell-in-war-torn-african-state-eritrea-says-his-life-is-now-worse-in-swansea/ |
I think it does matter. In the early 2000's any EU resident could come here and do any job and claim related benefits, they were basically considered to be UK citizens. That was nuts.
Nowadays they either need permission to come here or have come here illegally. There are a number of reasons for this and all can be easily restricted or resolved.
They've probably been sold a patsy by people smuggling gangs and then given opportunity to hide or not be processed but that's down to our elected morons. | | | |
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| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 20:45 - Dec 31 with 614 views | SullutaCreturned |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 20:01 - Dec 31 by Scotia |
I think it does matter. In the early 2000's any EU resident could come here and do any job and claim related benefits, they were basically considered to be UK citizens. That was nuts.
Nowadays they either need permission to come here or have come here illegally. There are a number of reasons for this and all can be easily restricted or resolved.
They've probably been sold a patsy by people smuggling gangs and then given opportunity to hide or not be processed but that's down to our elected morons. |
Yes and the EU's open borders has made it easier for people to migrate illegally, they end up on veaches in France and then into small boats.
Easily restricted or resolved...apparently not.
Elected morons...100%. | | | |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 22:09 - Dec 31 with 571 views | builthjack |
Johnson and Sunak let in close on 2.5million in their last 2 years.
That’s where the problem lies.
The boats are just a smokescreen. |  |
| Swansea Indepenent Poster Of The Year 2021. Dr P / Mart66 / Roathie / Parlay / E20/ Duffle was 2nd, but he is deluded and thinks in his little twisted brain that he won. Poor sod. We let him win this year, as he has cried for a whole year. His 14 usernames, bless his cotton socks.
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| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 22:27 - Dec 31 with 538 views | Kilkennyjack |
Brexiteers promised to stop illegal immigration in 2016.
Its failed.
Farage then says, in 2024 , vote for me i will stop illegal immigration, shirley you cant fool all the people all of the time.
Or can he ? |  |
| Beware of the Risen People
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| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 10:50 - Jan 1 with 402 views | controversial_jack |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 10:12 - Dec 31 by SullutaCreturned |
Not related? Maybe the massive surge that did happen, 853,000 Polish was it? Maybe that drew the attention of others?
Then with open borders across Europe people saw the opportunity, the immigration boom isn;t a recent thing after all and for decades we have had a lot of illegal immigrants.
What if, all across Asia and Africa they heard stories of people coming to the UK for work and believed it was the land of milk and honey? Specially when the crime gangs got involved and probably started pushing that line...it's great in the UK, free homes, free money, health care and we can get you there...
How many people try to get into Russia every year? |
730, 000 | | | |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 11:18 - Jan 1 with 383 views | felixstowe_jack |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 10:50 - Jan 1 by controversial_jack |
730, 000 |
Russia's population continues to fall. From a peak 148.5 million in 1993 to 143.8 milliion 2023. Most of its imagination comes from former soviet republics in Asia as well as China and Vietnam.
In 2022 800,000 Russian citizens fled Russia with Turkey, Serbia and Argentina the most popular destination | |
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| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 12:47 - Jan 1 with 341 views | controversial_jack |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 11:18 - Jan 1 by felixstowe_jack |
Russia's population continues to fall. From a peak 148.5 million in 1993 to 143.8 milliion 2023. Most of its imagination comes from former soviet republics in Asia as well as China and Vietnam.
In 2022 800,000 Russian citizens fled Russia with Turkey, Serbia and Argentina the most popular destination |
Not according to my sources. 730 k entered and 680k left
Over 730 thousand people migrated to Russia from abroad in 2022, while approximately 668 thousand left the country. Over the observed period, the volume of international migrant arrivals to Russia was always greater than that of departures. During the period from 2001 to 2010, international migration in the country was significantly lower.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1010259/international-migration-russia-inflo
Contrast that to Israel, where juts 42 entered, but 80k left. | | | |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 13:52 - Jan 1 with 303 views | KeithHaynes |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 11:18 - Jan 1 by felixstowe_jack |
Russia's population continues to fall. From a peak 148.5 million in 1993 to 143.8 milliion 2023. Most of its imagination comes from former soviet republics in Asia as well as China and Vietnam.
In 2022 800,000 Russian citizens fled Russia with Turkey, Serbia and Argentina the most popular destination |
Not surprised they’ve lost so many in a war none of them want. Many have left the country for fear of conscription, families devastated and leaving anyway.
The figures when revealed properly will be staggering. |  |
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| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 17:13 - Jan 1 with 242 views | onehunglow |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 12:47 - Jan 1 by controversial_jack |
Not according to my sources. 730 k entered and 680k left
Over 730 thousand people migrated to Russia from abroad in 2022, while approximately 668 thousand left the country. Over the observed period, the volume of international migrant arrivals to Russia was always greater than that of departures. During the period from 2001 to 2010, international migration in the country was significantly lower.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1010259/international-migration-russia-inflo
Contrast that to Israel, where juts 42 entered, but 80k left. |
Your sources
Dear God | |
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| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 09:55 - Jan 2 with 124 views | controversial_jack |
| Blair, immigration and what official documents show on 17:13 - Jan 1 by onehunglow |
Your sources
Dear God |
Statista is a global data and business intelligence platform with an extensive collection of statistics, reports, and insights on over 80,000 topics from 22,500 sources in 170 industries. Established in Germany in 2007, Statista operates in 13 locations worldwide and employs around 1,100 professionals. | | | |
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