Sir Patrick Moore speaks out on uncontrolled UK immigration

[RocketSwitch625]

I found this newspaper article from 10 years ago. If like me you were born and bred in the UK, I think you will agree with every word of it. Ten years on and things are even worse now than they were back then.

Sir Patrick attacked over 'racist' comments:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1411100/Sir-Patrick-attacked-over-racist-comments.html

Sir Patrick Moore was accused of racism yesterday after claiming that Britain was being "swamped by parasites".
 

The astronomer and television presenter made the comment while addressing a pensioners' meeting organised by the charity, Age Concern.
 

He criticised the amount of Government and National Lottery money given to immigrants, compared with that spent on the elderly.
 

"We are being swamped by people who come here because we are a soft touch. I know people will say 'racist, racist, racist'," he said.
 

Asked to clarify his point outside the meeting in Winchester, Hants, the 79-year-old presenter of The Sky At Night said: "We are being swamped by parasites. Call me a racist but I would send them all back to where they came from.
 
"Everything we do for them takes away from what we can do for ourselves."
 
A spokesman for the National Assembly Against Racism described his speech as "inflammatory". "This is the sort of language one might expect to hear on a British National Party march not from a public figure."
 
A spokesman for Age Concern said: "We are disappointed that the comments were made at an Age Concern event as they bear no relation to the charity's view."

[dr.chimps]

Enoch Powell: Been there; done that.

[shootfighter1]

Seems very reasonable for the UK to revise its open door immigration policy but doing it with that tone won't win over new supporters.  Its ridiculous how people that want to protect their own country from undesireable immigrants are often labeled as racists, bigots or whatever.  The truth is if you let too many people in that have a completely different culture and there is no encouragement to assimilate, the country could change.  Too many uneducated & lazy people will strain the economy.  I feel only people that want to contribute, assimilate to a reasonable degree and be proud of the country should be able to immigrate permanently.  I wouldn't expect some other country to welcome me if I had no respect for its traditions and I wanted to change it. 
The UK is a really cool historical place (been there 3 times) but parts of certain cities seem like another place...a worse place.

[Raymondo]

Restriction on immigration have been used for political purposes for ages now- and noone does fuck all about it when they come to power. Political cost is high; Also, it would be a bureaucratic and legal mess to organise.

The Tories got what votes they did (which were not enough for them to win a majority) mainly on the strength of their immigration claims. It's been two years since the last elections (the fist to see a non-wartime coalition formed in the UK since the Coalition government of David Lloyd George in 1916- that's 94 years) and sweet fuck all has been done. Quite the contrary there was a scandal involving the border agency a few months ago when it emerged that they were routinely relaxing border checks at airports when queues got too long- for health and safety reasons!

I hope something will be done before the time for elections comes again. It becomes increasingly clear that Tories will probably not come into power again- yet they are the only ones with the ideological conviction to reform the immigration system. Labour cares not- they consciously created a multi-cultural society in the UK last time they were in power.

[Raymondo]

Seems very reasonable for the UK to revise its open door immigration policy but doing it with that tone won't win over new supporters.  Its ridiculous how people that want to protect their own country from undesireable immigrants are often labeled as racists, bigots or whatever.  The truth is if you let too many people in that have a completely different culture and there is no encouragement to assimilate, the country could change.  Too many uneducated & lazy people will strain the economy.  I feel only people that want to contribute, assimilate to a reasonable degree and be proud of the country should be able to immigrate permanently.  I wouldn't expect some other country to welcome me if I had no respect for its traditions and I wanted to change it. 
The UK is a really cool historical place (been there 3 times) but parts of certain cities seem like another place...a worse place.

I'd rather we had parts of certain cities seem like "worse places" as you put it...  instead of entire regions like in the States

[rotaryfan]

Im surprised that there are so many people immigrating to the UK. Its a fantastic first world country with lots of appealing qualities, but from what I have heard the cost of living is incredibly high. Food, land, fuel, tax are all especially high, so why wouldn't people immigrate to other areas where these things cost less? Unfortunately a plane ticket to Canada does not cost that much, and once a plane lands all someone has to say is "I want refuge status" and they cannot be refused entry to the country. They are then given medical care, social assistance benefits, have access to work programs, education, etc...  just a huge drain on the countries financial resources.
At least the system is engineered so that if you immigrate legally you have to be educated and meet certain employment criteria. 
So what is the huge appeal to the UK? it already has a pretty high population given the small land space. Can anyone from there explain the appeal?

[Raymondo]

It's not as bad as it is being represented- like I said, immigration is being magnified and over-emphasized for political purposes. A certain part of immigrants are muslim brides; they enter the country having married a muslim man.

I don't know what goes on in the head of an immigrant because I've never spoken to one about the issue. If I had to take a guess, it would be partly because of the language; english is very popular and probably the majority of the world speak it to a degree; the English are in general tolerant people-this might also play a role. The benefit system is comprehensive (this definitely plays a role, but certainly not so major as the media would like people to believe; immigrants to the UK are not immediately entitled to benefits). Jobs in the south of england are abundant. For an immigrant to make a living they can work in a restaurant or drive a taxi, after they've registered with their local council.

The small land space claim is not true. Only 6% (or another single digit percentage) of English land is developed. The rest are hills and grasslands and pastures.

**edit 21%

[Purge_WTF]

[dr.chimps]

Hehe. 1066, anyone?  

[rotaryfan]

It's not as bad as it is being represented- like I said, immigration is being magnified and over-emphasized for political purposes. A certain part of immigrants are muslim brides; they enter the country having married a muslim man.

I don't know what goes on in the head of an immigrant because I've never spoken to one about the issue. If I had to take a guess, it would be partly because of the language; english is very popular and probably the majority of the world speak it to a degree; the English are in general tolerant people-this might also play a role. The benefit system is comprehensive (this definitely plays a role, but certainly not so major as the media would like people to believe; immigrants to the UK are not immediately entitled to benefits). Jobs in the south of england are abundant. For an immigrant to make a living they can work in a restaurant or drive a taxi, after they've registered with their local council.

The small land space claim is not true. Only 6% (or another single digit percentage) of English land is developed. The rest are hills and grasslands and pastures.

Interesting.  It always pisses me off when politicians sensationalize a problem in order to garner more votes, and then forget about the "problem" after election day.

[RocketSwitch625]

I Am Asylum Seeker ~ Roy 'Chubby' Brown: