Dear Jim,
Sane posted the same link over on another thread, a bit long winded for me but on the question of immigration he gives it a paltry couple of line's.
Is immigration a problem? When UKIP mention it they are branded with terms like racist but Cameron is bringing in new measures to control it, should we be tougher on immigration, have the Tories and Labour been to soft on immigration.
Most politicians I have listened to cite historical reasons why immigration has been great for the UK but Peter Hitchen on Question Time pointed out that this time it is a problem due to the large numbers we are dealing with.
If I remember correctly Cameron was warned about these large numbers but chose to ignore the warnings.
Is immigration a problem and can we discuss it without accusations of racism or referring to yer wee granny third removed who came from foreign climes.
Gonnagle.
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I can (sort of) understand the paranoia facing those whose world is upset when people of a different language, culture, ethnicity or even creed 'invade' their territory.
I understand their nervousness, without sharing it.
The problem with the influx of immigrants appears to me to be not the number, but the speed at which they might seem to be arriving - to some, at least.
Also, I think it depends on exactly where, on these islands, you live.
My town has many examples of surnames such as Favali, Ochypala, Berinski, Jonas - legacies of migrations in the twentieth century.
Our churches (RC and CofS) conducted a little investigation.
In our town of 6,000 or so, well over one third were of European, Asian or Chinese extraction.
We simply don't have an issue (unless they were born in Cumnock...
)
Without the migrant workers in Scotland, the fruit, potato and prawn fisheries would simply vanish - the rural community simply could not function.