We all think we’re rational human beings. So let’s put that to a test in a little thread, with sources. This is for those who are in a terrible tizz right now, and think Gary Lineker is actual Satan.
“We are taking too many immigrants”
There are 281 million migrants globally.
https://worldmigrationreport.iom.int/wmr-2020-interactive/
We took 90,000.
That’s 0.032 per cent.
We have 0.9 per cent of the global population, so to just do “our part” we should take 30 times as many.
“Immigration would ruin our economy”.
German will take 1.2 million this year.
https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/germany-expected-to-receive-1-2-million-migrants-by-the-end-of-2022
We will take about 90,000.
GDP per capita
Germany: $51,203
UK: $46,510
“Immigrants are a drain!”
Immigrants from outside EU contribute 3% more than they cost, or £5.2 bn a year
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/economics/about-department/fiscal-effects-immigration-uk
Immigrants from inside the EU (prior to Brexit) contributed £26.9 bn a year
https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/resource/the-fiscal-impact-of-immigration-on-the-uk/
Total contribution: £31.1 bn a year
“Immigrants swamp the NHS”
14 per cent of UK population were born overseas
https://migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/resources/briefings/migrants-in-the-uk-an-overview/
28 per cent of NHS doctors and nurses were born overseas.
https://fullfact.org/health/foreign-born-nhs-eu/
You are twice as likely to be treated by an immigrant than lose your place in the queue to one.
“Immigrants steal our houses.”
Firstly, 14 per cent of construction workers are immigrants.
https://www.citb.co.uk/media/cxxlqsps/citb-migration-and-uk-construction-report-2021.pdf
So are 14 per cent of the general population.
So AT WORST they're maintaining the level of housing-to-people we'd have anyway.
And secondly…
In the 1960s, the UK built a new home for every 14 head of population.
By 2020 we were building 1 new home for every 43.
“Immigrants get more benefits”
Ummm, nope. Legal immigrants are entitled to the same benefits as anyone else. Because they’re here legally and pay tax, so why shouldn’t they?
Illegal immigrants are entitled to absolutely nothing.
“We can’t afford immigration, we have all this debt to pay.”
The government’s official Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) says higher migration reduces pressure on government debt.
“More immigrants means more crime”.
There is no evidence more immigration causes more crime.
In fact, the continuous reduction in overall property crimes since 2002 corresponded *exactly* with a rising foreign-born population.
"Stricter laws will deter illegal immigration".
Since 2010 UK immigration law has been "tightened" 168 times (average 1 a month)
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1010857/user-guide-policy-changes-jun21.ods
43 laws on small boats alone
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/07/conservatives-channel-crossings-small-boats-tories-rwanda-deportation
If this stuff deterred, it would have deterred by now, and…
If you, a British citizen frightened by immigration, can't keep track of the 168 bits of legislation IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE, how do you expect a Somali refugee to?
And if they don't know the law, how on earth can they be deterred by it? It makes NO SENSE.
“Asylum seekers should stay in the first safe country they reach”
The UN Convention – WHICH WE HELPED TO WRITE – says they can claim asylum in any nation they want to. They don’t have to stay in the first country.
“We need to stop illegal asylum claims”
There is no such thing as an illegal asylum claim. So we've already stopped it. Hurray!
Under the Refugee Convention – WHICH WE HELPED TO WRITE – absolutely anybody can claim asylum, no matter how they get here.
“We voted for Brexit so should leave these foreign conventions”
Show me where those conventions are mentioned on the referendum paper. Go on. Show me.
Brexit was meant to stop immigration. So were 168 subsequent laws. They didn't. They won't. Here's why…
Living creatures moving from one place to another to get a better life or escape harm pre-dates the invention of passports and lines on maps by 3.7 billion years.
You will never – not ever EVER ,𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍 – stop people wanting to do this.
So instead of looking at the small boats and shouting at the wind, why not start looking at the REAL reasons you can't get housing, healthcare, your standard of living is falling, and everything seems shit.
I'll give you a clue. It isn't Albania.
I absolutely guarantee you, the people who are responsible for the shambolic state of Britain – the UK government – are DELIGHTED when you ignore their record and focus on a few harmless, powerless brown people.
“Never mind all that, immigrants are changing our culture”
The building you’re sitting in right now is held up with Spanish or Iranian gypsum.
Most of your car is probably made in Germany, Mexico or Japan.
The oil that powers it most likely from Saudi Arabia.
You drink beer from Belgium, vodka from Russian and wine from France.
You gobble Italian pizza and scoff Chinese rice, flavoured with spices from Indonesia.
You wear American jeans and eat chips made from potatoes native to Venezuela.
Your coffee is Brazilian, your tea is Tamil, the sugar is Jamaican and the milk is only safe to drink because a Frenchman made it so.
If you fancy a little flavouring, you’ll use syrup from Canada, chocolate from Colombia, or lemons from Portugal.
Your democracy is Greek. Your humour is Jewish. Your numbers are Arabic and your letters are Latin. Your pyjamas are Indian and your slippers are Turkish.
And you’re reading this in a language that’s a bastard hybrid of French, Latin, Scandiwegian and Irish.
And you’ve got the nerve to tell me immigrants are ruining British culture?
They ARE British culture.
Originally tweeted by Russ Jones (@RussInCheshire) on 11/03/2023.
