Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Bit late for a timetable surely

Liam Byrne Minister of State for immigration, is apparently going to announce, a timetable for the introduction of a new managed migration points system. Mr Byrne has reached the conclusion, that migration made the country wealthier but also ''unsettled the country''. This government has not only been negligent, in its control of migration, but has recklessly encouraged unsustainable levels of migration from East Europe, unlike most established EU countries.

So in touch is Mr Byrne, that apparently he asserts that uncontrolled migration could damage the poorest communities, clearly oblivious to the effect on schools, and clueless about cuts in wages for working people that have already occurred. Belatedly Mr Byrne wishes to introduce a points system for migrants, I think he's lucky there isn't a points system for measuring Ministers competence.

The Office for National statistics, last year estimated that this country now had a foreign workforce of one and a half million, having been joined by 400,000 workers in the previous year. Any suggestions this minister or others might have, is too late to have any merit whatsoever.

No one can object to sensible levels of migration, but one of the biggest and most irritating arguments we hear is how British workers, won't do certain jobs, what journalists rarely say is that, the reason British workers refused, some jobs is due to employers paying poverty wages.

The agricultural industry, is often cited, which is not surprising, since our farming community have got used to claiming taxpayers' money in rebates, the thought of paying their employees a pittance, and then expecting workers to then make-up their wages by claiming benefits, probably seems normal to them.

It seems somewhat ironic, that this Labour government has spared no effort in supporting the world view, of an American right wing, born again Christian fruitcake, and ignores the interests of the British people.

As taxpayers we will all bear the cost, of uncontrolled migration, in financial and social terms. What cost to our health service, education and more importantly what does it say about us, this is what I think, we are saying to foreign nationals, come to Britain, for low pay, poor housing, poor education and poor health care and help keep the social divide between rich and poor.

Despite the assertion of Liam Byrne that we are somehow wealthier, his government led by Tony Blair, has failed the British people, the only people better off after 10 years, are the better-off, it's true Labour did introduce the minimum-wage, however had they given a toss, this would by now have been increased over 10 years to allow for ordinary workers to have a decent standard of living without claiming benefits, in turn resulting in a lower tax burden.

This country is lucky in as much as no far-right fascist party, has so far been able to use this situation, and this has nothing to do with leadership from any of our major political parties, it is more to do with the inherent decency and intelligence of the ordinary British people.

BBC news story

2 comments:

  1. Seem to remember Michael Howard banging on about this at the last general election - when nobody was listening. Hmmmm

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  2. True,

    One of the saddest sights I ever saw was the leader of the opposition @ around 5.00pm on Saturday before the general election surrounded by almost no one, no press, no nothing in Folkestone.

    I wished I'd taken a photo, still he seemed alright on Frost next morning.

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