Not just the red dot

[Steve1960]

http://news.sky.com/story/1154511/immig ... -the-world

Apparently almost 70% of people in the UK survey want the Government to take urgent action on immigration.

Interestingly the article on Sky News suggests Britons need to work harder and become better educated to compete against a world of workers not just a country rather than close the borders and try to insulate.

[Barnsley]

I saw that report , but based on the demographic of Sky News I am not surprised at the results.

Will the world go down the protectionism route, I have no idea, it will depend on the benefits of those pulling the strings of Govt's around the world.

With all the FTA's going its going to be very difficult to rein things in assuming thats what folk want.

[ScoobyDoes]

I've been watching some of the reports given Sky ended up as an additional free channel to the News Groups a couple of months back.

It was interesting to watch the debate are points raised from a SG perspective, not because I'm a typical Sky/Fox viewer.....where, having said that, Fox News from the US scares the living daylights out of me.

Some points have been quite balanced, like pointing out GBP7b more money is generated FOR the economy by immigrants than taken OUT of it, ergo it's a benefit. The problem the UK has is not its immigration policy but its porous border.

The flip side is an estimated 6-700,000 illegal immigrants.

And yes, their additional point was immigrants (legal) into the UK were on the whole better qualified and harder working than modern day Brits. We've discussed 'entitlement' many times around this board both in terms of peoples (perceived) rights to Government Assistance and/or a Job despite being too stupid, illiterate or idle to make them any use at all.

It is the same here to some extent and when combined with a 'I'm too good to sell insurance' mentality (I saw it here just a couple of weeks back) it is sad that these are the same people complaining the loudest, but in the end obvious as well.

[PrimroseHill]

Sat in a pub with some distant (in the sense that there isn't much of a relationship) relatives during the deep rainy winter in the not so nice Bromley.
Sat there with OH & DD listening to his rellie droned on and on about immigrants and these immigrants should go back to their own country.
They do not work, have not worked and spoke of the fact that this is their country and they are entitled to the benefits.
She is 60 herself and have grandchildren that are approaching GCSE and were laughing at the fact that her grandson, who's there with them, can barely scrap through GCSE but they have all the latest Apple gadgets and playstations and xboxes. New cars too, courtesy of the state.

Made me feel like a right muppet sitting there

[Barnsley]

Sat in a pub with some distant (in the sense that there isn't much of a relationship) relatives during the deep rainy winter in the not so nice Bromley.
Sat there with OH & DD listening to his rellie droned on and on about immigrants and these immigrants should go back to their own country.
They do not work, have not worked and spoke of the fact that this is their country and they are entitled to the benefits.
She is 60 herself and have grandchildren that are approaching GCSE and were laughing at the fact that her grandson, who's there with them, can barely scrap through GCSE but they have all the latest Apple gadgets and playstations and xboxes. New cars too, courtesy of the state.

Made me feel like a right muppet sitting there

I dont know how it happened but my family now get all their info from the Daily Mail/Express ..... Some of the rubbish they come out with when I am home beggars belief. Its all the immigrants fault too many Kosovans/Albanians/Bulgarians/Polish ....... you name it they are the cause of all the UK's ills. Not the piss poor Govt's they have been voting in for the past 20 years.

[ScoobyDoes]

Its all the immigrants fault too many Kosovans/Albanians/Bulgarians/Polish ....... you name it they are the cause of all the UK's ills. Not the piss poor Govt's they have been voting in for the past 20 years.

Rock and a hard place.......

The entitlement system, parenting ('Yes son, you are smart and can be anything you want to be......even with 1/2 a GCSE' ), work ethic or lack of, cheap booze, lowering exam pass marks (chicken & egg, that one), relocation of manufacturing overseas, Health & Safety, corrupt politicians wangling their expenses.........

It all adds up.

Many people in SG think that it is only useless expats that are here because we couldn't succeed in the UK or US etc. where as, I believe in actual fact, mostly we are the ones with the gumption, work ethic, get-out-and-give-it-a-go, b@lls to the wind, put up with sh!t local attitudes (to a point) that keeps this place afloat.

It is the same in the UK with their 'expats' if it is true legal immigration contributes GBP7b more to the economy that it takes out.

In fact, it is the same in every country.......it is just the profile of what makes an expat an expat, also for those Singaporeans living and working in the US, Australia, Europe, China, Vietnam or where ever.

[Barnsley]

Many people in SG think that it is only useless expats that are here because we couldn't succeed in the UK or US etc. where as, I believe in actual fact, mostly we are the ones with the gumption, work ethic, get-out-and-give-it-a-go, b@lls to the wind, put up with sh!t local attitudes (to a point) that keeps this place afloat.

This is the one I dont understand here, the assumption that if you are working away from the country of your birth you are somehow a failure. The forums are full of folk stating that if somebody is working here its because they cant make it in the country they are from.

Surely its a sign as you say of get up and go, take some chances in life.

[PrimroseHill]

IMO it is easier to stay then to leave, well, it was/it is for me. Even though I am Msian Chinese, I find that I am more banana more Brit than I am Msian Chinese.
I know, some of the nastier and more competitive rellies of my mom gave her such a hard time when I relocated. They were like, "London is such a great place, earn so much more, why have to come back here and work so hard" hmmm yeah, with one stroke of relocation, we have managed to secure our future into a realistic non-staring at the TV 24/7 once we are off a pensionable age, we had also secure our DD's future, without total state reliant. Hmmm also fed up of the taxes, the govt's grandeur plans of HS2, etc.

Actually, people like us should be commended for having the gumption to better our lives, to do something with our lives and the fact that we can pick up and live in a different country with different culture etc etc, shows that we have very transferable skills.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... house.html
Makes my blood boil

[sundaymorningstaple]

I don't know about the majority of expats of today, but when I came here most were headhunted from their overseas employers or similar. Rarely did one come here on spec.

However, if this forum is any indication, things HAVE changed in as much as there seems to be lots of 3rd world Expats who have worked in the US or Aus or people coming out of their own countries in Europe/UK/SE Asia now, unemployed in their own country (whether by choice or just out of school or other) and landing here with SVPs to "try their luck". If they are currently unemployed, then maybe the claim is partially true today.

[PrimroseHill]

I was hired from UK, other than some minorities here, troublesome rellies, we are enjoying living here.
Shouldnt people that are taking charge of their lives be given a pat on the back?

[ScoobyDoes]

Shouldnt people that are taking charge of their lives be given a pat on the back?

Green Eyed Monsters usually have no concept of being 'nice' in that way.

[JR8]

Shouldnt people that are taking charge of their lives be given a pat on the back?

No, not really, shouldn't that be considered normal?

Should one expect to be congratulated for simply succeeding at being normal?

[PrimroseHill]

Flip side -
Should everyone just get state pension?
Should everyone be entitled to dole?
Should I pay NI and be taxed because I use BUPA/PPP?
Should I be paying for families of 12/13 that have never worked?

Sorry my soapbox

[JR8]

Well 5 wrongs don't make 1 right

Most of your points are iniquities, but they are are way too politically 'hot-potato' for any government to touch, and try and alter, never mind scrap.

I mean you still recall the expression 'Thatcher, Thatcher, milk-snatcher!' 30+ odd years on, don't you!

[ScoobyDoes]

I mean you still recall the expression 'Thatcher, Thatcher, milk-snatcher!' 30+ odd years on, don't you!

But many would argue she left the UK in a better position than when she took over but it was Normal Tebbit that famously said something like 'Get off your butt and on yer bike.'