cycas Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 I heard a few weeks ago that this year 150,000 immigrants came to the UK, but around 250,000 British left the UK to live elsewhere.Is that ok then? Or should they rather stay "home" and be happy? I would be (more or less) happy with that, if the total number were going down. However, I'm not sure where those numbers come from? Everything I have read (and seen) suggests that the total population is going up. For example, there's this: http://www.optimumpopulation.org/opt.more.migration.uk.html - 2005-2006, net inward migration 189,000. Now , OK, you can prove anything with statistics, but this seems to be supported by the huge demand for new housing, for example. It's all very well to be open to other cultures and people, but we can't have everyone come and live on this tiny island. It's just not practical. There isn't enough water, for a start. I am actually more conflicted about immigration from war-torn regimes such as Somalia than I am about immigration from other relatively prosperous places, which I am fairly sure needs to be restricted in some way. I have several friends who are nationals of other countries but live in the UK. It would suck on a personal level that some of my other friends outside the UK might want to move here but not be able to, yet I can kind of see that as a necessary annoyance, even though I can also see that such well-educated pleasant immigrants would be an economic and cultural asset... Maybe there should be some sort of buddy system: you can move in if you can talk someone else into moving out! Whereas, although I know that immigrants from Somalia will bring all sorts of terrible problems, will not be able to contribute anything like as much as, say, a Russian friend of mine could, who am I to say that someone who has known real want and terror and loss shall not have a share of the plenty I've known all my life...? Arg, it's hard, that decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sproggie14 Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 I must say I know we are living in a multi cultural society but I think the British are being shoved out. Was talking to my son the other day about this and they no longer are allowed to say the lords prayer so as not to offend............. was talking to my youngest sone teacher and not allowed to sing ba ba black sheep as is offensive...........but they are doing a massive project on the kahran, sorry I cant help it but it grips my poo. I'm not going to say too much on this subject as I work for immigration so probably shouldn't express any views. I did just want to address this point though partly cos I don't think this is really anything to do with immigration. I personally think it is quite right that schools should not have prayers. School is a place for learning facts and religion is not a fact so has no place in education in my mind. I have no problem with being taught about religions in the sense of this religion is called X and they believe Y, but when I was at school we were taught things like the Christmas story in the same way we were taught about actual history which I do think is wrong. I do think not being able to sing Baa Baa Black Sheep is mad but I dont think it is anything to do with immigration. You rarely find it is the actual supposed affected parties that demand these things, more likely local bureaucrats going a bit PC mad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackin Posted November 9, 2007 Report Share Posted November 9, 2007 our church has grown with the people from eastern europe poland in particular. All have jobs almost as soon as they arrived and intergrated already.I am a convert to beetroot soup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheplover Posted November 10, 2007 Report Share Posted November 10, 2007 I must say I know we are living in a multi cultural society but I think the British are being shoved out. Was talking to my son the other day about this and they no longer are allowed to say the lords prayer so as not to offend............. was talking to my youngest sone teacher and not allowed to sing ba ba black sheep as is offensive...........but they are doing a massive project on the kahran, sorry I cant help it but it grips my poo. As a trainee RE teacher, I think that it is right that children, many of whom in our modern society have a secular background, should not be forced to pray for/to any God, no matter what country they are in. To be British does not infer, nor should it, any religious allegiance. Saying prayers in school and learning about another religion's Holy Book is not comparable, one is asserting and forcing themselves upon a child and the other is opening and widening their knowlegde and horizons. Children do not learn about other religions in the same way that they (some) pray to their God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murtle Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 As a trainee RE teacher, I think that it is right that children, many of whom in our modern society have a secular background, should not be forced to pray for/to any God, no matter what country they are in. To be British does not infer, nor should it, any religious allegiance. Saying prayers in school and learning about another religion's Holy Book is not comparable, one is asserting and forcing themselves upon a child and the other is opening and widening their knowlegde and horizons. Children do not learn about other religions in the same way that they (some) pray to their God. Isn't Britain, ENglad at least still C of E? As far as my history goes, we were Catholic and then Henry VIII changed his mind and we became of C of E when undergoing naturilsation to become a British citizen you do/did swear alegiance to God and the Queen. I do agree with other religions and cultures being taught in schools, but wonder how many parents actively encorage religious education at home? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheplover Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Oath of allegiance I (name) swear by Almighty God that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law. Affirmation of allegiance I (name) do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that on becoming a British citizen, I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her Heirs and Successors, according to law. Pledge I will give my loyalty to the United Kingdom and respect its rights and freedoms. I will uphold its democratic values. I will observe its laws faithfully and fulfil my duties and obligations as a British citizen. I swiped this from the Home Office website, I know it says I swear by God, which IMO is wrong, but I couldn't find anything anywhere that states an allegiance to any particular religion? Will keep searching! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheplover Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 But then again the Queen is the head of the C of E so I am now It seems strange that we get new British nationals to swear allegiance to someone a lot of the population would like to get rid of whose value systems do not resemble ours in any way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGAR Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 It cuts both ways, here is me a dye in the wool Atheist and when I checked into hospitla here in Ireland to give birth to my son the admin nurse asked me 4 (!!) times for my religion, each time I replied: NONE! When she asked me the 5th time I replied BUDDHIST just to shut her up as I was getting bad pains, she then proceeded to ask me how that is spelt... Now, I live in the Bible Belt of Ireland and I am NOT looking forward to my son being taught in school by nuns, I am still looking to find a school which does NOT have an emphasis on religion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happylittlegreensquirrel Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 News today that one in four children born in Britain has a foreign parent is clearest possible evidence of the effect of mass immigration on our society. Many people simply don't understand how this could have happened without anyone being consulted and they are deeply concerned about the future. I am a one in four, both my parents were not born in the UK ( they are Irish ) and moved here in the late 1950's for work, Yes it does we should be more like Australia as they so strict, this country is going bust both my parents worked for over 35 years in the UK before they retired , I myself have worked for over 20 years and my brother for over 30 if ( and I know this is unlikely but it proves a point ) the send them back to where they belong to type party ever got to power my brother and I would be forced to move to a country that we have never lived in and my mother would be sent back to a country she left over 40 years ago when my parents first came to the UK in the late 1950's ( along with West Indians who were also encourged to move here by the UK goverment ) there were signs on doors saying "no blacks, no Irish , no dogs" I am a foreigner too and have had to put up with ALOT of racism - white on white racism mind! I have been called a Bloody Gerry, a Fecking Yank and one particular nice but clearly not very intelligent older man called me a Black and Tan (they came over here and took our women and now they are taking me dog!). he needs to read up on his Irish History , the Black and Tans were a sub group of the English army who "policed" by volence and beat up Irish people who were involved or suspected of being involved in the uprising for indepence in the early 1920's its not a generally used insult but if it is its a unpleasant name for the English Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGAR Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 I know what a Black and Tan is but he obviously didn't have a clue, no one who has EVER heard me talk could mistake me for being British. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happylittlegreensquirrel Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 I know what a Black and Tan is but he obviously didn't have a clue, no one who has EVER heard me talk could mistake me for being British. my ( Irish ) Mammy would call him a silly fecker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGAR Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 Yep ;). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PennyB Posted November 11, 2007 Report Share Posted November 11, 2007 I am not greatly bothered by people immigrating to the UK, I think it's healthy for people to move about a bit. I think we could do with a bit more emigrating to balance it out though, and a LOT more careful planning. I don't like the fact that our population is shooting up so fast. I don't think we have the infrastructure to handle such massive growth. They are building houses like a rash all over, and yet the roads are no wider and the public transport is just as crummy, the school classes get bigger and bigger and they are still 'centralising' hospital services to places that are hours away from many of the people that need to use them... There are 3 large brand-new housing estates quite near here, yet the nearest town where there are reasonable numbers of jobs is a 40 minute drive away. The next nearest town is tiny and only accessible over a single-carriageway 17th century bridge designed for horse traffic. There's no extra provision for transporting all these people to their jobs, or to get them to the shops. I'm guessing most of those new houses will have 2 cars. These are my concerns as well --- I don't care who lives here but I am concerned that our island is bursting and we can't sustain it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui d Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 well here i am with me Irish (Wexford) mam and da, me English born black husband of Jamaican parents and me English born 3 beauties and i like dogs my political views on the raised question................. i havent got any tbh, i dont own this land i walk on, i dont own the air i breathe, i work to earn to buy what i do own and to support the family i love...........and thats about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redditchlady Posted November 12, 2007 Report Share Posted November 12, 2007 (edited) Edited. Kazz xx Edited November 12, 2007 by redditchlady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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