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Migrant Crisis - Bit of a controversial one

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babs56:
Well done Tony, you have expressed the views of many people brilliantly. I am not racist or anti immigrant either but this government is making people go that way because of there policies regarding immigration. I don't think your neighbourhood is unique its happening all over the country. I am from a small town in Wales and it is very disturbing when you are in your own town and you don`t hear any English or welsh being spoken its all foreigners.

Jimbo:
The simple fact is that the Daily Mail has by far the worst record in having to withdraw blatantly false stories. Ask J.K.Rowling or George Clooney. It had to apologise for saying that all flights and trains out of Romania and Bulgaria were booked out the day work and residence restrictions were lifted in 2013 when there were loads of seats. It claimed that 75% of our laws were made in Brussels when the real figure, in line with other EU countries is between 8% and 12%, and in 2014 there were 3,000 fewer Bulgarians working in the UK. In 2011 it reported a widely disputed study that claimed that professional women were responsible for a rise in autism as though it were unassailable fact. And on and on.

I understand completely people's anger at the clusters of immigrants in some areas. About half of what's on the shelves in my local shop is Polish. But the vast majority of the Poles here work hard and pay their taxes and NI, and by God we need them to. Our population is aging. In the long run we do not have enough young people to sustain pensions and health care, and migrants working here are generally young. This changing demographic is the underlying reason for longer NHS waiting times, together with under-funding. Actually, a great many Poles prefer to go back to Poland as private patients for significant medical care - about 63% of Poles have private health insurance - far from being a burden to the NHS they're actually subsidising it.

As somebody who regularly sells to EU countries, I can tell you that it's a hell of a lot easier and better than it was before. Before the EU, import/export restrictions made it a nightmare of licences and red tape. The VAT rules have massively simplified trading between member states. The EU is prepared to fund research and development on a significant scale.

As yet, I have not seen any explanation of what happens to the migrants here if we leave the EU. Will we chuck them out? And what about the nearly 2 million UK "migrants" (whom we prefer to call ex-pats) living in the EU? If we expel the people we have here the EU would be entirely entitled to withdraw residence rights from them. 2.6% of the population of Malta is British - 0.8% of Spain - 3.7% of Cyprus - 0.08% of Greece. If even half of them come back the streets will be clogged with Zimmer frames. Very many years ago I investigated buying a house in Greece. Before the EU it was extremely difficult - you had to have a local agent whom you had to trust explicitly, and many and terrible were the rip-offs. The only safe (?) way to do it was to marry a Greek, but as the women were generally locked-up at that time it was very hard to achieve!

I will decide which way to vote in the referendum when I see some coherent policies from the OUT group. If they continue to be strangely missing I will vote IN, because I know what we're getting, imperfect though it may be. What we need is hard facts and clear policies, not flag-waving emotion. This is not 1940, we are not at war with Europe, and there are no Spitfires over the White Cliffs of Dover.

I hope you will see this as a calm and reasoned response, even if you disagree. Love to all.

     

Jimbo:
For the Police Federation view of why crime has increased see:

http://www.wypf.polfed.org/2016/02/12/cuts-are-putting-public-safety-in-jeopardy-warns-chairman/

tonyco1:
The Political response as usual from the Police - they are only interesting in funding just as most Politicians of all parties seem to be interested in funding their own nests
As I said - when it affects me and I see it daily - I respond accordingly.
So you vote in Jim and I'll vote out - just to balance things nicely of course.
Now it's up to the rest of the country to decide.
I suspect that if we vote out that an agreement will soon be made.
If we were allowed to control our own borders we wouldn't be voting - but when the population of a big city arrives in a year - we struggle to cope.
Now I know you have a problem with any right leaning newspaper Jim, but the Mirror, Guardian, the not-so-Independent etc.,etc.
all spin and twist or invent stories - that's the press !!! - - it's what they all do - - even the whiter than white lefty lot, so lets be balanced on this.
We all know it - and so do you my friend - as for the Morning Star - fiction and fantasy more often than not.
Never mind - hopefully we'll see you for a catch-up over a glass of wine or beer one of these fine days in Corfu.

Rover:
Well Tonyco1, if I base my decision on "as I find".
I can call my surgery early in the morning and get an appointment on the same day.
I can also book on line, useful for non urgent consultations.
On a recent visit to A&E, we were admitted,injury assessed, X Ray taken, plaster applied all within 90 minutes. We left the hospital with a follow up appointment for the following week. The visit was on a Saturday morning.
My grandchildren all attend highly rated schools within walking distance of their home.
Having had to call the police last year, they responded within 45 minutes, were helpful, and provided follow up services.
I will not go on, because I will not be basing my decision on "what I see". I will base it on the economic future. It is the only way to decide.

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