Poll Shows Britons Are Much More Hostile Towards Immigration Than Other Developed Nations

[Tired of Waiting]

IMPO, the housing crisis is the main reason behind this, as it created the feeling that the "country is crowded". (Lack of investment in transport infrastructure played a role here as well.)

In short, Labour economic mismanagement in these past 5 or 10 years has turned a good, liberal, tolerant people into the most bigoted amongst developed nations. Another legacy of the Labour government - probably the worst legacy of all.

FT: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/137c5370-2f78-11e0-834f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1CypbW9J6

Poll shows Britons’ hostility to immigration

Britons are much more hostile towards immigration than other developed nations, according to a poll of people in the US, Canada and across western Europe.

According to the data, almost a quarter of UK citizens thought immigration was the most important issue facing the country, only slightly lower than the number who thought it was the economy.

This was in stark contrast to the response from the other countries, including the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. Among those, only one in 10 Italians thought it was the biggest issue and only 3 per cent of Spanish people, even though both of those countries have experienced large influxes of foreigners.

The other western nations tended to be more concerned about unemployment, although Germany’s main worry was education.

BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12362464

Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britons-have-greater-fear-of-immigration-2204068.html

Daily Mail ("We're overrun" ) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1353362/Were-overrun-Brits-fear-immigrants-European-nation-poll-reveals.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

FT: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/137c5370-2f78-11e0-834f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1CypbW9J6

The Economist: http://www.economist.com/blogs/blighty/2011/02/attitudes_immigration

(The Economist) "It gets worse, as the chart shows, on entitlement to public services. Of the countries with state-sponsored health care, in Britain alone do a large majority of people think illegal immigrants should be denied treatment, and a quarter think even legal immigrants should make other arrangements. The picture is similar on schools."

Edit for clarity, to add: "in these past 5 or 10 years has", and "liberal, tolerant" and the second "legacy", and Economist's quote.

Edited February 5, 2011 by Tired of Waiting

[exiges]

IMPO the problem is threefold

1. The complete dilution of our national identity.

2. The unskilled labour market is losing out

3. The burden on our public services with very little being contributed. - I'd love to know the stats on newly-visiting females and what percentage get pregnant vs indigenous people.

Edited February 4, 2011 by exiges

[Tired of Waiting]

IMPO the problem is threefold

1. The complete dilution of our national identity.

2. The unskilled labour market is losing out

3. The burden on our public services with very little being contributed. - I'd love to know the stats on newly-visiting females and what percentage get pregnant vs indigenous people.

1. Any evidence?

2. We need much better public education. (See Germany's main concern, in the quote above.)

3. The NHS has a much higher share of immigrant workers than immigrant patients. The NET effect there is positive. You will find a similar thing for most public services.

BTW, always think NET, including NET migration. Almost 6 million Britons live abroad, and just over 7 million foreigners live here. Migration has increased the UK population by less than 2 million people. In a total population of 60 million this is not very relevant.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Tired of Waiting

[non frog]

IMPO the problem is threefold

...

No, its easier than that. People need a scapegoat. The xenophobia card is the best one to play. Britain is a sad little place full of bigots. Has been for years. Long before "New" Labour or any other government for that matter. The Brits never have come to terms with losing the Empire.

[Tired of Waiting]

No, its easier than that. People need a scapegoat. The xenophobia card is the best one to play. Britain is a sad little place full of bigots. Has been for years. Long before "New" Labour or any other government for that matter. The Brits never have come to terms with losing the Empire.

I think you may have a point there. But I am quite sure the housing crisis made things even worse. During the last election many politicians heard "on the door steps" that housing was linked to anti-immigration feelings - amongst people who need social housing.

[Warwick Yellow]

No, its easier than that. People need a scapegoat. The xenophobia card is the best one to play. Britain is a sad little place full of bigots. Has been for years. Long before "New" Labour or any other government for that matter. The Brits never have come to terms with losing the Empire.

I don't agree. The British (there are of course exceptions) have often been some of the most tolerant people on earth.......... I am in India working just now and my well travelled colleagues at dinner last night (all Indian/ Malaysian/ Indonesian/ various Arab countries) were commenting on just that fact compared with almost every other European country. Think I will take their personal experiences on this one over yours if that's OK.

Liebours economic and social experimentation and mismanagement have a very major part to play here. Just what was wrong with having a reasonable thought through immigration policy those morons could not grasp?

[Harry Monk]

BTW, always think NET, including NET migration. Almost 6 million Britons live abroad, and just over 7 million foreigners live here. Migration has increased the UK population by less than 2 million people. In a total population of 60 million this is not very relevant.

Many observers think the UK’s population is much bigger. A leading figure at Tesco recently told one of my parliamentary colleagues that they estimate the population of the UK to be closer to 80 million, based on the volume of certain staples they sell. Tesco are probably a world leader in understanding their consumer market, so it would be foolish to disregard their opinion.

http://cornerstonegroup.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/how-many-people-live-in-britain-%E2%80%93-by-greg-hands-mp/

[Tired of Waiting]

Totally disagree. I've travelled extensively across europe and elsewhere, up until recently the UK and Holland were by far the most welcoming, open societies I came across. It's no coincidence the UK was first choice for immigrants and asylum seekers, and that's not just because english is the de-facto international language.

Another thing, the UK has the highest number of inter-racial marriages in the world. Regardless of your views on this it tells you that Brits are more open minded than most.

I think you are right. I think Britain used to be much more welcoming some 5 or 10 years ago. I think things started to turn ugly in Britain with Michael Howard's 2005 campaign, including the slogan "are you thinking what I am thinking?" Despicable. The eastern European influx from 2004-07 didn't help either. Plus the housing crisis.

Of course all countries have some racism/xenophobia, but today's Britain is horrible. The tabloids don't help either.

[snowflux]

I think you are right. I think Britain used to be much more welcoming some 5 or 10 years ago. I think things started to turn ugly in Britain with Michael Howard's 2005 campaign, including the slogan "are you thinking what I am thinking?" Despicable. The eastern European influx from 2004-07 didn't help either. Plus the housing crisis.

Of course all countries have some racism/xenophobia, but today's Britain is horrible. The tabloids don't help either.

That, I think, is the number one reason. Having spent 10 years living abroad, I'd say that the Brits, deep down, are as welcoming as anyone else, but the steady drip-drip of xenophobia from our newspapers has poisoned people's minds. The British media, especially the tabloids, are a national embarrassment.

[Tired of Waiting]

I don't agree. The British (there are of course exceptions) have often been some of the most tolerant people on earth.......... I am in India working just now and my well travelled colleagues at dinner last night (all Indian/ Malaysian/ Indonesian/ various Arab countries) were commenting on just that fact compared with almost every other European country. Think I will take their personal experiences on this one over yours if that's OK.

Liebours economic and social experimentation and mismanagement have a very major part to play here. Just what was wrong with having a reasonable thought through immigration policy those morons could not grasp?

You think a dinner party chat is a more reliable source than that poll?! That is irrational. Data: "Britons are much more hostile towards immigration than other developed nations." Data = fact.

EDIT: From the FT: "The poll was carried out in August, September and November and included responses from 1,000 people in each country."

Edited February 4, 2011 by Tired of Waiting

[Tired of Waiting]

(...) A leading figure at Tesco recently told one of my parliamentary colleagues that they estimate the population of the UK to be closer to 80 million, based on the volume of certain staples they sell.

http://cornerstonegroup.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/how-many-people-live-in-britain-%E2%80%93-by-greg-hands-mp/

"Britons fattest in European Union"

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/britons-fattest-in-european-union-2153793.html

[non frog]

...The tabloids don't help either.

Yup. Have to agree with Snowflux - this is, almost certainly, the #1 reason. Mail in particular. One is tempted to suggest Mrs Duffy might well be a reader

[Tired of Waiting]

That, I think, is the number one reason. Having spent 10 years living abroad, I'd say that the Brits, deep down, are as welcoming as anyone else, but the steady drip-drip of xenophobia from our newspapers has poisoned people's minds. The British media, especially the tabloids, are a national embarrassment.

I've lived abroad too, in the US and Europe, and the British press is by far the worst, and at all levels, including the broadsheets. Very little data, lots of amateurs giving their personal opinions on all sort of subjects. Just weird.

[SarahBell]

Is it because other countries protect their own people from coughing up for a load of immigrants?

Who has the biggest illegal immigrant population?

Which countries allow unfettered access to healthcare even providing translators?

Which country is destination of choice?

[Tired of Waiting]

Is it because other countries protect their own people from coughing up for a load of immigrants?

Who has the biggest illegal immigrant population?

Which countries allow unfettered access to healthcare even providing translators?

Which country is destination of choice?

I take you don't think immigration has brought us a NET benefit then. Right?

Edit:

(From the FT article)

When asked to guess how many people in Britain were foreign-born, the average UK response was three in 10. When told the estimate by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development was in fact just one in 10, more than two-thirds of UK people thought this was either “not many” (36 per cent) or “a lot but not too many” (31 per cent). Just 30 per cent thought it was “too many”.

Far more British people than their western counterparts also thought migrants were a burden on public services, even though most research suggests they are in fact a net contributor.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/137c5370-2f78-11e0-834f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1CypbW9J6

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e4a39170-cf24-11df-9be2-00144feab49a,s01=1.html#axzz1CypbW9J6

Edited February 4, 2011 by Tired of Waiting

[Papa Serf]

Control immigration is fine, our lives have been enriched by other cultures but I think this country and the world in general is over populated. The rights, wishes and wellbeing of an individual is meaningless as you just dont matter enough.

But the thing that really gets my goat is I cant express my opinion on immigration without being called a bigot or a racist.

Just for the record I want England to be English, Scotland to be Scotish, France to french, India to Indian etc etc rather than some mixed up slop.

[TwoWolves]

I suspect you started this thread just to have a bit of an argument and like Mr. "non frog" you get a bit of a buzz by feeling holier than thou over contentious issues like this. It gets rather boring sometimes.

I've lived in London for twenty years and most of my friends and indeed my wife are foreign. They all make it clear that they like Britain because we are by and large good tolerant people but even they complain about the numbers since about 2000. It’s a long wait to get a doctor's appointment and its clear when you look around the waiting room why. The people of this country, whether foreign or not are not fools - stop being patronising, we have the house of commons doing that to us already.

[Warwick Yellow]

You think a dinner party chat is a more reliable source than that poll?! That is irrational. Data: "Britons are much more hostile towards immigration than other developed nations." Data = fact.

EDIT: From the FT: "The poll was carried out in August, September and November and included responses from 1,000 people in each country."

Of course not and had you read my note in the context of the one it was replying about this being a country full of bigots and having been so for years you might have saved yourself the 'irrational' reply.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Warwick Yellow

[Tired of Waiting]

It hasn't.

http://www.migrationwatchuk.org/what-is-the-problem

Sorry, I've edited that post. Please take a look: http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=158931&view=findpost&p=2882047

"Migration" Watch is misleading from its very name. It never mentions emigration. Only immigration. Therefore it does not monitors "migration". Why? Because if it did, the NET number would be too small, and people would just go: "oh, that's OK then."

See: almost 6 million Britons live abroad, and just over 7 million foreigners live here. The NET positive migration number is less than 2 million. In a population of 60 million it is not much.

[Papa Serf]

Actually you could read this then, is that the British population as a whole are concerned about immigration which comes to light in a poll but do not (or not allowed to) express their worries in open. I think that makes us very tolerant.

[Authoritarian]

The U.S - has control over their own borders

Canada - has control over their own borders with no poverty sticken neighbours, (unless you count the U.S!)

Germany - Introduced immigration controls when the EU's 2004 enlargement took place

France - Aren't afraid to put the national interest before the EU and remove undesireables.

UK - We open our borders fully, comply slavishly with "human rights" legislation which means deportation is v.difficult, have a heavily biased left-wing judiciary and generally encourage a welfarist and immigration free for all.

Yes, I'd say the British are pretty cheesed with multiculturalism.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Chef

[Tired of Waiting]

(...)

But the thing that really gets my goat is I cant express my opinion on immigration without being called a bigot or a racist.

Just for the record I want England to be English, Scotland to be Scotish, France to french, India to Indian etc etc rather than some mixed up slop.

Dear dear.

Are you really sure that is not racist/xenophobe??

[Ruffneck]

The U.S - has control over their own borders

Bulldust , there are holes all the way along the fence with mexico.

[Papa Serf]

Dear dear.

Are you really sure that is not racist/xenophobe??

No It individuality, its what makes the world a interesting place, it makes international sporting events interesting.

Edited February 4, 2011 by Papa Serf

[Tired of Waiting]

I suspect you started this thread just to have a bit of an argument and like Mr. "non frog" you get a bit of a buzz by feeling holier than thou over contentious issues like this. It gets rather boring sometimes.

I've lived in London for twenty years and most of my friends and indeed my wife are foreign. They all make it clear that they like Britain because we are by and large good tolerant people but even they complain about the numbers since about 2000. It’s a long wait to get a doctor's appointment and its clear when you look around the waiting room why. The people of this country, whether foreign or not are not fools - stop being patronising, we have the house of commons doing that to us already.

I started this thread to help reduce racism and xenophobia, as these articles have data showing that the British people's fears do not have a base in reality.

My reply to Sarah applies here too. http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=158931&view=findpost&p=2882047

Immigration has brought us a NET benefit, but thanks to factors such as housing crisis, lack of investment in transport infrastructure, tabloids, etc, the population has developed a distorted view of immigration. Sorry if this sounds "patronising", honestly.

Look, re the NHS: The share of NHS workers that are immigrants is greater than the share of NHS patients that are immigrants. Immigration has had a NET positive effect on the NHS.

On another angle: How can you tell who is an immigrant "when you look around the waiting room"??