MWUK - What you say


	WHATS NEW	PRESS ARTICLES	ARCHIVE	FAQs
	IS THERE A PROBLEM?	PRESS RELEASES	WHAT YOU SAY	LINKS
HOME	WHO WE ARE	BRIEFING PAPERS	WHAT YOU CAN DO	CONTACT

What you say

Extracts from correspondence received.

The views expressed on this page are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Migration Watch UK.

The term "water water everywhere but not a drop to drink" comes to mind when I think of the situation my family and I are in.

I live in Swindon. A prosperous town, where in the last decade or so we have been able to say we have no unemployment: - That being that the only reason you would not be working is because you don't want to.

I have always gone along with this, as I never really knew anyone who didn't have a job.

Now though, is a different story.

Swindon is going through a major development. The 70's monstrosities the town has always been criticised for are being knocked down to make way for a more 'cultural' town. On one road alone we have 10 major building developments going on and countless numbers of housing developments.

So with this in mind, I ask why has my husband - a bricklayer who came to Swindon from the north because of the abundance of work 8 years ago has had to go to another country for work? Why has my dad, a reputable carpenter and joiner for more than 30 years had to cut his wages in half and go 'begging for work'? Why is my brother struggling to make his mortgage payments because he now only gets 3 full days of work on site?

Yes, there is a credit crunch going on in the country. I work in the financial industry. I am reminded every day about how less people are buying houses at the moment - but the situation would be a lot more self healing if there wasn't the issue of immigrant workers overtaking and under cutting the local workers on site.

I'm not going to say all immigration is bad. I come from an Irish family. My dad's family came to Swindon during the war and my mum came here from Ireland to be with my dad. All my family experienced the "no Irish need apply" welcome to the country. Times where hard for them. But they persevered, they worked hard. No one in my family ever claimed benefits and everyone owns their own house. In short, they invested back in to the country and they have raised us to be well educated, successful, hard working and thoughtful.

Because of this history I have always been open minded about immigration. My mum constantly reminding me of how hard it was for her coming here. However, in the last few years my opinion has swayed. I can no longer see the benefit of more people coming here. In my experience, they are draining and not investing in the country. I live in an area that a couple of years ago was being hailed as an up and coming area of the town, with young professional first time buyers moving in and starting families. This has now stopped. The housing has been bought up by Asian families who have rented the 2 up 2 downs to uncounted number of eastern Europeans, Africans and Asians.

A house 3 doors away houses 11 people while they send the money they are earning in the town back home to build houses in their country.

On a more personal note. My husband and I are trying to start a family. A family that would be taught the value of education, hard work and decent behaviour. That will bring value to the town. But we can't while he's not here. In the mean time. Mr and Mrs Immigrant are living in a free house with kids who are putting extra demands on the already struggling public services.

The gates need to be closed. No one can blame people for wanting to come here. We give houses and money away for free. It's a fantasy land for someone coming from the hardships of their countries. If I knew I would get a free, brand new house and regular money for doing nothing, in Albania - I'd be straight on the plane! In many cases even the most dire living conditions in this country are better than what they would be living in their homeland. But that should be an issue for their government and not ours.

The credit crunch plus lack of employment is a recipe for a complete disaster. Maybe if it gets so bad, these immigrants will go home. But it could be too late for us.

I can say for absolute sure, that there are NOT enough jobs to go round for skilled construction workers. Not in the north, south, east or west of the UK. I can say this because working along side my husband are people from all of these regions. All for the same reason - cheaper immigrant workers are taking their jobs. People who can afford to work for less because they are essentially still part of their home countries economy and not the economy in the UK. £1 goes a lot further where they come from.

Contrary to claims - there are now NOT enough jobs to go around. The country's financial instability is now becoming more apparent and many industries are feeling the brunt. It's this that is increasing the popularity of cheaper workers. But it's a false means to an end. Yes they are earning the money, but they are not buying the good that these industries produce.

So money is going out and not coming back in.

I am not saying stop immigration all together either. But we would be fools to not ask people to prove their value and be placed in a part of the country that needs them. We should also be more forceful about what they do with this money they earn. There should be an extra immigrant tax for the first couple of years when they come here. After all I have to pay extra tax when I only go on holiday to other countries!

If the situation does not improve, my husband and I will leave this country and take our skills and experience elsewhere. We will raise children who will bring value and pride to another country. We will remove our money from the British economy and buy a house and pay our taxes to another government. And we will never be part of the UK again. Leaving a nice little gap in the land for an immigrant family to come and take what they want.

I'm not saying that immigration is this town's only problem either. I also have my thoughts about the British people being allowed to rely on the benefit system ......... but before we sort that lot out we need to sort the people who shouldn't even be here first.
June 2008

Many congratulations to Sir Andrew Green and Migration Watch for kick-starting and making respectable the vital debate on immigration, leading to the Lords Select Committee's report today.

At last the nonsense of Government claims is being exposed, at last the reality that it is GDP per head, not total GDP that matters, at last the reality that the work immigrants do hardly covers the costs of their being here - especially the cost of providing housing for them - is being publicly exposed. I doubt that any government in history has been as innumerate as this one - and their many errors have cost us dear.

None of this would have been possible without your efforts, for which we must be very grateful indeed.
April 2008

I live in Hackney South and as an indigenous English person, I am shocked to find that I am in a minority. Although there are people from many foreign cultures living side by side in the constituency, my experience is that each culture does not tend to adopt a multicultural attitude, but instead wishes to remain within their own cultural enclaves only emerging from them for economic reasons. For instance, many members of the immigrant communities that I have met in the constituency appear not to feel the need to develop their English language skills or be interested in English culture in any way beyond that which enables them to benefit economically.

This is not the idealistic 'melting pot' of multiculturalism, but instead a 'salad bowl' of communities trying to maintain the identity of the culture from which they have emigrated at the expense of the indigenous English culture. I strongly object to the lack of honesty by the present government in admitting that there is a problem that needs addressing.
Jan 2008

I watched on television the proceedings of the House of Lords Economics Committee at which your Chairman, Sir Andrew Green, gave evidence.

I have rarely seen such a devastatingly logical presentation – Sir Andrew had all the facts at his fingertips and presented them in a way which was a joy to watch. The question, as always, is whether the Government will take any notice and retreat from its “open door” policy which is inspired by the race relations industry, but if anyone can bludgeon them into a change of course through sheer relentless logic, it’s Sir Andrew.

Thanks for representing the majority of people in this country (including most immigrants) who want the sensible reforms Sir Andrew is proposing but are being ignored - for the moment, anyway!
Jan 2008

I have just been introduced to your website by an English friend. I am visiting London from Ghana as a guest lecturer and am privileged to be working for six months in one of the top British universities. I have always admired and respected the British sense of fair play and support for people who are less well off, especially in places like Africa where I have seen at first hand many examples of British generosity.

After a few months in the UK I must say I am appalled at the effect that uncontrolled immigration has had on the country and its unique culture. What started as the usual native British generosity towards needy immigrants has deteriorated into a free for all which has damaged this country enormously.

My English friend directed me to your website, and I congratulate you on your balanced, methodical and unhysterical approach to research and analysis, which has brought out in the open the debate about immigration and its consequences. Long may you and your advisers prosper and succeed in your mission.
July 2007

"…As you know, the issue of mass immigration has generated intense spin by HM Government and various Agencies. Those who seek to raise bona fide concerns are almost invariably branded as racists. Anyone who gets over that hurdle, is perceived to be ignorant of the history of this Country ("a nation of immigrants") and our economic dependence upon the financial contribution of mass immigration.

It is a depressing state of affairs. Certainly, I have the utmost respect for all of those who have come to this Country in the past and embraced our way of life. However, living in West Yorkshire, I continue to witness a massive influx of immigrants and it is evident to me that we are one of the Counties designated to receive the new arrivals. In consequence, I no longer recognise this as my Country.

In the circumstances, may I say how very much I have appreciated your stand in this matter." April 2007

“In my view current immigration policy is immoral and not so very far removed from a toleration of slavery. We allow people to come and work for us for low wages and to live in squalid conditions, often abandoning children in their own country because we think low wages benefit our economy. They don’t. Tax payers make up the difference in housing and healthcare and education benefits. As immigrants age so they too will demand better standards for themselves and their children. What then? Another wave of immigration to support them too? This is complete madness. The answer is to allow single people only to come here to work, provided they return home in five years, I would suggest tax free but with essential healthcare available only. Employers should be obliged to fund all other costs including their housing. That way the worker gains a language, skills and cash to enrich them and their families on their return. We gain the labour we apparently need. The present system is crass, impoverishes people and the environment and reduces the need for technical innovation. The tragedy of the debate is that any anti-immigration views are deemed racist whilst the pro-immigration is often simply reverse-racist. Race should have no place in the debate save that immigrants should embrace our culture and values if they choose it as their home.”
Mar 2007

“May I firstly state, that I am not a racist and abhor the policies of organisations like the BNP but fear that the main political parties are failing to deal with the problem of unregulated immigration into this country.

The problem has become a political hot potato and all the main parties are more interested in their image and placating a vociferous and unrepresentative minority who use political correctness to distract them from making rational decisions on the practical issues that immigration impact on, namely what is a sustainable population for these Islands, taking into account the needs for energy, housing, transport, healthcare, education, policing etc.

As someone who was born during WW2 I know well the dangers of extremist regimes but I also know that Hitler was elected by the German people and he like the BNP was initially a figure of ridicule. I fear that if the main parties do not take ownership of this problem sooner rather than later then the voters might turn to the BNP or a similar organisation.

There is by my personal experience a growing unease amongst people of all ethnic backgrounds at the seemingly unregulated growth in immigration in all its forms. People have been denied the right to debate this problem in an open and honest way as our leaders pay homage to the new religion "political correctness". I and many others like me are worried about the future of this country. Our values of decency and honesty are being discarded as are our rights to have a say in the future direction of our country and our society.

I have watched and listened to your spokesman on immigration and applaud his sensible and honest approach to this problem I fully support your organisation and hope that our leaders start responding to your advice in a positive and proactive manner the rights, freedoms and safety of the people of this country must always come before the rights of any individual.”
Mar 2007

“I was relieved to hear of the existence of your organisation on the Today Programme this morning.

I have no qualms with the country admitting well motivated skilled individuals of whatever culture as long as they are happy to respect indigenous values and do not expect the British culture to change to accommodate them (beyond normal common courtesies).

I have in the past been incredulous at reading the Country requires immigrants to pay for our pensions. This seems akin to the economics of borrowing more to make debt repayments.

I am a medical practitioner …. In my professional role I have performed medicals on Britons seeking residency in Saudi Arabia. HIV tests were required by the Saudis as long as 12 years ago. It would not be racist for us to require the same of our immigrants and I am astonished that some Health Professionals have been recruited who, only once British residents, were found to have blood borne diseases. Some I believe then invoked human rights acts to remain in the country for NHS treatment…”
Jan 2007

“Like many other people, I have been concerned for some years about the continuing effects of an ever increasing population in the UK, and in particular in England. There are several aspects of this concern, but until recently, my main worries were that the quality of life in this country is deteriorating, as a result of the continuous and increasing demands on land for housing and other developments, on transportation, and local services. I believe that statistically, this is already one of the most densely populated countries in the world, and evidence of the detrimental effects of this can be found on our roads, public transport, size and juxtaposition of housing provision, and scarcity of recreational space.

I think we have long passed the point where we should be posing the fundamental question of what kind of a country do we want this to be - but it is better to pose that question late, than not at all.

I am aware of the argument for a continued flow of economic immigrants, to fill skilled jobs that apparently cannot be filled from the existing population, and how vital that is to ensure continued growth and to meet the needs of an ageing population, but will we still be using that argument when the population reaches 75, 80 or 90 million? In my view, to go down that route is the politics of despair, and I would have thought that a more beneficial approach would be to encourage people to extend their working lives, and to develop an economic climate that ensures as far as possible that unemployed people (including those categorised as having disabilities) are able to be trained and to have the opportunity for work. There is also a case for directing some educational resources to meet existing and future skills deficiencies.

There is also in my view, an issue relating to the desirability of continuous economic growth, but perhaps that is a separate debate.

Up to this point, I have not mentioned racial or ethnic issues, because my main concern is, or was, with overall population size, not its composition. However, events over the last couple of years, suggest that there is a minority of our population, of indeterminate size, who for whatever reasons do not accept western standards of life, who bear little or no loyalty to this country, and who wish to damage it. Whereas the motivations for such actions are debatable, I think it is reasonable to assume that a sense of alienation from this country and its values is a factor. The growth of racial and ethnic 'ghettos', which tend to concentrate in poorer urban areas of our cities, and in which new immigrants would tend to live initially, cannot be helpful in that context.

If we then add to this mix, the acknowledgements by the current Home Secretary, that we have not managed the issue of asylum seekers, or illegal immigration, and that our border controls need strengthening, it can reasonably be concluded that we do not know how many people are living here, legally or otherwise, and that consequently the government is not in control of the situation.

The old adage that when you realise that you are in hole, the first thing to do is to stop digging, seems appropriate here. There is a real risk to the safety and security of this country, and evidence of severe social strains within it. Would it not make sense therefore, for the government to put a complete halt on all immigration, including that from potential new EU member countries, until such time as we have established much better immigration controls, and have a better understanding of the size of the internal threat to our security? This would also allow time for us to develop a better understanding that we appear to have, of the degree to which different communities have or have not integrated, and the strains on the social fabric of the country to which rapid immigration from diverse ethnic backgrounds has contributed, and to hold the serious debate on immigration for which the Home Secretary recently called?”
Nov 2006

I do not know what I would do without your common-sense media presence in a country that is increasingly losing its senses and its way. I was particularly disgusted by today's cover article in the Independent: 'Let Them All In'. It is obvious that big-business wants cheap labour, without really bearing the collateral costs. In my opinion, mass immigration is very anti-working class and anti-environmental. There is a very high price to pay for it, which we and future generations will regret.

It is also shocking to me that the trade unions are - through their internationalism - working against the people whom they purport to represent. If things get any worse, there will be very little left for the UK-born working class. Native graduates will also suffer very badly too; I have already seen anti-British recruitment policies in the UK scientific sector, of which I am part. Professional people are increasingly
affected too.

Furthermore, I have long been concerned by the brainwashing of the UK population into accepting the exaggerations and subterfuge of the pro-immigration lobby. From my experiences, that process is working all too well, with many UK citizens reciting the 'government line' on immigration without really using their own judgement. In particular, there is a pernicious misconception that only ignorant, stupid and racist people oppose current immigration policies (or lack of them). That whole situation is very frightening to me, and not too far removed from what has happened in totalitarian states. Already people like you and me are becoming more and more like dissidents in a totalitarian regime. We are often smeared, marginalised and drowned-out.

I would like to end on a light note, but the current state of Britain makes that
very difficult.

Best wishes in your campaigns, and thank you for your honesty and courage. I am inspired by it.
Sept 2006

I am a barrister, a former London police officer and a British citizen of Anglo-Caribbean mixed-race descent. I have perused your website and I overwhelmingly agree with the bulk of what is published there.

However, there is one issue which currently prevents my sponsoring your initiative. It is the tenor of your supporters' published letters.

Some of the letters MW has received, reviewed and elected to post on its website do have the flavour of anti-non-white and Little Englander racism about them. That could easily discourage support from people in the British Caribbean community and indeed in other British non-white communities.

Given the enormity of the problems facing all Britons vis-a-vis relentless mass immigration, I might suggest that some of the more overtly prejudicial letters be removed in order to attract as much support as is possible and help trigger a national, informed and rational debate.

I think it wholly beneficial to the British Caribbean community that the fragile hold they have managed to secure after many years of hostility towards them and hardship be protected against the implications of continued mass immigration. Many British Caribbeans are Christian by religion and conservative in their outlook, as most Anglophone migrants tend to be, but they are also highly suspicious of supporting what might be perceived as a front for extreme right-wing policies and interests.

From recollection, the two letters which were personally the most difficult to digest were those from a person in south-west England who travels frequently across Britain and another who rabidly attacked multiculturalism. These express a political bent which run against the grain of the apolitical stance that MW says it wishes to promote.

I am no great fan of multiculturalism, or even of stifling difficult topics in a debate, but nor am I a fan of right-wing extremism against which many of my (ancestral) relatives have fought in two world wars. The tenor of the letters, I feel, tends towards right-wing extremism.

In fairness, your website does state your organization's opposition to the political far-right but perhaps that point is not made sufficiently prominent to do both it and your efforts justice.

If this is remedied then you shall have my annual subscription. Finally, it would be immensely helpful to your initiative if you were able to enlist the support of a noted black British Caribbean barrister or other high-profile black professional.
June 2006

“Your web site clearly states the facts on immigration, which is laudable. I note the careful way that you steer clear of unverifiable controversy and stick with the objective and quantifiable. Absolutely understandable for a pressure group wishing to avoid the usual spurious accusations of racism and bias.

However, it really is hard to believe that our government is allowing so much immigration simply because it is incompetent. Yes, there are serious problems at the Home Office and have been since well before David Blunkett's famous admissions of ignorance on the subject. But such problems could be solved in a few months given the political will. We do have able people in this country!

So what is going on?

I discount pressure from employers or the Treasury for low cost labour. It is clearly convenient but New Labour's supporters would hardly go along with that as a policy.

I also discount 'ex-colonial guilt', an interesting concept but not a sufficient reason radically to change a country.

It seems rather unlikely that Mr Blair is worried about the relative population weight of the UK within the EU, or for that matter England should Wales and Scotland decide to go their own ways.

The Human Rights issue is a nice smoke screen but in the end the rights of immigrants must be balanced with those of the indigenous population. Others take this line (eg France) and so could we.

You yourselves have disposed of various tendentious arguments around pension provision, GDP (per capita) growth, requirements for low cost labour for the NHS, services in London and so on. There are grains of truth in some of them, but the underlying assumptions tend to be economically faulty. If there are 1.5 million unemployed - at least, given the disability situation - some would work for wages better than benefits.

I don't believe that our Civil Service is fundamentally incompetent or that the judiciary are especially biased in favour of the underdog.

So what's left?

Could it be that New Labour wants to change to demographic profile of the UK permanently to entrench its position? It is often stated that immigrants typically vote Labour in gratitude for their admission.

If so, what can be done? Your lucid lobbying is very helpful and informative but why can't the opposition parties get to grips with this situation and make plain what is happening before our country is both overcrowded and permanently changed in culture?

I see your efforts as a tasty carrot being dangled before donkeys with no appetite for controversy, or perhaps no skills in dealing with the inevitable barrage of demeaning comments from New Labour. The British can see through such things and a proper, moderate policy on immigration control is well overdue and would be highly popular.

It must be very frustrating to raise awareness in such a convincing way and then have no one take any notice.”
June 2006

For the last forty years, the major political parties have suppressed all public and political debate in Britain concerning legal and illegal immigration and have never sought a mandate from the British people as to whether they want a `multicultural' society. Such a society has been thrust upon them without their consent and in complete disregard for their wishes and views. Anyone who has raised even minor concerns regarding immigration has immediately been vilified and labelled `racist' by the extremist liberal supporters of `multiculturalism'. Your website is the first occasion when a discussion of the issues has been enabled.

No political party has ever had a coherent and cogent policy on immigration except to permit unlimited and unrestricted legal and illegal immigration whatever the consequences and accordingly they have provided no protection for the British people from those consequences.

There has been no political concerns over these years regarding the impact of unlimited and unrestricted immigration on Health, Education, Welfare, Housing, and Social Security provisions and now all of these services are overwhelmed and are failing to meet the needs of the population.

Nor has there been any political concern regarding whether the immigrants posed any health risks from serious contagious diseases, were criminals or drug dealers in their own countries, had terrorist connections, or were otherwise security risks and a danger to the general population.

`Multiculturalism' has been an abject failure and Britain is now a country of ethnic enclaves where large parts of cities and in some cases whole cities are now populated by specific ethnic groups with little effort having been made at assimilation or integration. The `multiculturalists' have conveniently ignored the lessons from history and the present, that such societies inevitably dissolve into conflict and violence - Yugoslavia, Israel/Palestine, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Biafra, Darfur, are but a few examples.

The United Nations Conventions on refugees and asylum seeking have been abused on a grand scale by economic vagrants who have rendered themselves purposely homeless and stateless in order to seek qualification as `asylum seekers'.

Successive British governments have palpably ignored the entire issue for too many years and Britain is now set on a course of ultimate and inevitable disaster. The economic boom of the last decade has been in favour of the government as people have grown comfortable and wealthier and not therefore too concerned at the situation, but history has shown that whenever there is a downturn in the economy, then civil unrest is an indirect consequence. When this occurs the government of the day will have no one to blame but themselves for permitting the unrestricted and unlimited immigration and for the complete dereliction of its duty to provide protection in all its forms for the British people.
May 2006

"Dear Mr Green, I read your article in the Daily Mail with interest, and found not a single item on which I could disagree. I find amongst my group of friends that these so called do gooders are actually making us into racists. The interests of the ethnic minorities is being forced on us too much and too quickly.

Your comment on the today programme was enlightening. I have long believed that the BBC operates a policy of positive discrimination. You only have to look at the disproportionate number of ethnic minorities working in their news programmes to come to that conclusion. I am not saying that they are not good at their jobs, but they surely weren't the only applicants.

In a similar vein. A television company contacted a friend of mine who has an insulation company. They wanted to do an item on the government's grants for insulation. One part was to film a house being insulated but the TV Company insisted that the residents of the house were Muslim. If this is not positive discrimination I don't know what is. All I ask for is a balanced view, in proportion to population numbers but were are being denied such a view."
March 2006

I'm writing to express my sincere support for your organisation and its frank approach to the issue of immigration. You raise some of the questions that have not been asked in the past few years by politicians, who seem afraid to confront the issue head-on. I fear that as a result of the Government's refusal to ask honest questions, we are today reaping the consequences.
Feb 2006

"Firstly can I say that your organisation is a breath of fresh air and not before time, and at last there is a someone speaking on behalf of vast majority of the British public.

My main point was regarding Sir Andrew Green's appearance on Question time on the 19th January. I would like Sir Andrew to know that I think that last nights appearance as at other public appearances was exceptional and he shows amazing calmness in what can quite often be a provocative attitude shown towards him and how well he explains his point of view.

My last two jobs in just over 5 years have evolved me travelling around the country visiting people in their homes (invited), up to five different households per day and anything from 30 mins to 1 hour with each person / family from working class areas to middle & upper class areas. Because I come from the south west quite often in conversation we talk about location and 'what it is like and to live in this, or that part of the country'. When I watch Question time and other political programmes people within the audience never seems to be from the spectrum of society that I see and definitely biased toward middle class left wing people.

This leaves me feeling quite frustrated as it is not a fair reflection of what people are saying and talking about in the real world. I feel the reason for this is that political correctness is not allowing people to debate these issues without being labelled a racist, this I feel is driving people's feelings on the subject of race and immigration underground and turning to anger which is not good for the future of this country.

Sir Andrew's view on Gordon Brown's speech on Britishness was spot on and will have struck a cord with many people watching. People feel that if they say that they are proud of being British that they have to say in the next breath that it includes people of all backgrounds, faith, race etc etc. I think that it is an insult for politician to tell me how I should feel about being British.

In my opinion the British are open, fair and tolerant of all people's but this is being totally abused and we now have a situation in our inner cities where we have nations within a nation, there is integration but only in the workplace or city centres, at the end of the day people are returning to ' their area's ' be it white, black, Asian etc. The places where you find good integration is where the incoming or second/ third generation of immigrant/newcomers has not upset the balance of the host native population.

One other thing is over population and strain on this country and building on green land etc, these issues are never spoken about by our politicians and I am glad to see that this is brought up by yourselves as this has to be addressed.

I have gone a bit of a rant so will cut this short, (I only intended to pass on my feelings on Sir Andrew Green's appearance on Q' time!) my feelings and views are only brought on by what I have seen and heard by speaking to people from many different areas within our country and I treat all people I meet as an individual but feel strongly that every country needs to keep some form of identity and that this is under great threat in Great Britain."
Jan 2006

Email this page