Cheap labour from abroad is not cheap for taxpayers

The government is right to discourage economic migrants coming in to keep wages low and fill low skilled jobs. A points based quota system can let us recruit talent and qualified people for higher paid roles. Whilst some firms and farms would like to have the benefit of more cheap labour we need to consider the strains this places on taxpayers. It also serves to keep low end wages down, hitting the incomes of those already settled here or born here in low paid jobs.

The EU once said that it costs a country about 250,000 Euros to provide all the capital it needs to welcome a new migrant. There is the cost of providing them with a home. There is the need for health capacity. If they have children we need extra school places. As numbers increase we need more transport capacity, more road space, more pipes and cables for utility supplies. It all comes to a big bill as we are all supported by huge sunk capital investment in an advanced country.

The best way of considering it is to see that if we invite in an additional 250,000 a year, each year we need to build the equivalent of an important new city to house them and support them. A new city costs many billions. Those are billions the employer of cheap labour does not have to take into account.

Rapid rates of inward migration also makes CO2 reduction much more difficult to achieve.

205 Comments

  1. Mark B
    October 2, 2022

    Good morning.

    The government is right to discourage economic migrants coming in to keep wages low and fill low skilled jobs.

    And what government would that be ?

    https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/liz-trusss-plan-for-more-migrants-to-boost-growth-j2bl2lsnz

    Please, stop insulting us. Despite all that you and others in your party say, ‘you are’ the party of MASS IMMIGRATION.

    Why ?

    Because you are clueless and do not know what else to do when it comes to the economy. You cannot have a free at the point of use public services and MASS IMMIGRATION, only one or the other, but NOT both ! As the latter will always outperform the former. But you would not know about this as MP’s, including Labour ones, can send their kids to private schools and all MP’s have BUPA membership. And I bet none of you live in a sink-estate ?

    So stop urinating on our backs and telling us it is just raining OK.

    1. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      What Government indeed? Hopefully this Truss one will finally get real – we shall soon see.

      As to Bupa – Insurance is nearly always a bad idea unless you are a higher risk than average but can get a normal premium. It is a bet with poor odds and nearly all the cards in the Insurance Companies Hands. This as much of your premium goes in admin costs, overheads, others fraudulent claims, insurance company profits and Osborne/Hammond/Sunak’s 12% insurance premium tax. Far better on average to save up and pay directly for private procedures if and when needed. Most operations cost rather less than a new EV car so just keep your old banger it is prob. a better car anyway and use that money. Paying say £150 for a consultancy to you NHS consultant privately can often speed up the NHS process too.

      1. Lifelogic
        October 2, 2022

        Socialist (he even wanted VAT on private school fees – which would have destroyed many good schools, reinforced unfair state competition in education and would have raised less tax than it cost) Michael Gove is being hugely very unhelpful as are the dire BBC in further attacking Truss.

        The party seem rather determined to self destruct. The members having elected Truss they surely have to go with and unite behind Truss.

    2. Ian Wragg
      October 2, 2022

      This is one if Johns most perverse posts. Immigration has been running at half a million for the past 12 years and last year over a million.
      The channel invasion is costing us 2 billion annually and rising.
      Forgive me if I don’t clap when the home office manages to remove 450 Albanian crooks last month.
      Immigration alone will lose you the next election as a new right wing party will emerge.
      Watch the rest of Europe.

      1. Lifelogic
        October 2, 2022

        +1, it could well lose them the election, that and their moronic war on plant, crop and tree food and their subsidised intermittent, expensive energy lunacy.

        1. Iain gill
          October 2, 2022

          John presumably knows this. But politics is tribal and most of the parliamentary conservative party are liberal lefty open doors immigration supporters, just prepared to lie about it at election time to get elected.
          The party wanting the most immigration never wins elections, at the moment the conservative is that party. At least they are being honest about it now, rather than their previous track record of saying one thing and doing the opposite.
          It’s like the NHS, every MP knows it’s crap but they are all too scared of being the one to say so.
          Copy the Australian healthcare system and their immigration system. There is a reason the big Indian outsourcers are not making headway in Australia, and we should be copying that reason.

      2. turboterrier
        October 2, 2022

        Ian Wragg
        Well said Ian.
        Has anybody stopped to think of the long term effects not just for a few years but decades.
        This uncontrolled wayward on the back of a fag packet immigration stance will result in the total destruction of this country as we pride ourselves in what it stands for. These people do not and will not change their beliefs and convictions to suit our way of life which eventually will impact on our society.
        All these people having a go about saving the country for their children’s children had better wake up and smell the coffee.

        1. Shirley M
          October 2, 2022

          Yes, I have. I find it extremely difficult to locate meat produced to UK Animal Welfare Laws. I do not want meat that relies on the religious exemption, but there is no guaranteed way of identifying it, and we all end up buying or eating the produce of religious slaughter even though the majority are not of those religions. Why are we not allowed a choice by labelling? We label food for everything else under the sun, and it wouldn’t stop those religions enjoying their sacrificial meat.

          You’d think politicians would want to promote UK Animal Welfare Standards, wouldn’t you? Why did they bother with these laws when they are so blatantly disregarded?

          1. glen cullen
            October 2, 2022

            +1

          2. Diane
            October 2, 2022

            Shirley: The Petition to Parliament No 614742 has at last reached well over 10.000 signatures so is now waiting for a response from government though I suspect nothing will change (Title is “Ban the religious slaughter of animals without first stunning them” ) I have noticed only in recent times that there are now at least two outlets offering such meat products in my local high street & also a dedicated small counter in my local large supermarket.

          3. Shirley M
            October 2, 2022

            Diane, we have submitted several petitions to Parliament regarding slaughter, stunning, labelling religious slaughter and/or labelling non-religious slaughter. Every possible scenario has been covered and ALL get rejected. I don’t understand why labelling is rejected. It wouldn’t stop those religions from enjoying their sacrificial offerings but it would allow people of other religions to avoid it, which is currently impossible. Maybe THAT is the problem. There is NO equality in the UK and the sale by stealth of religious slaughter is abhorrent to many and a massive abuse of the religious exemption. I thought we were a country that put a high priority on animal welfare, but minorities get priority over British values.

          4. graham1946
            October 3, 2022

            Shirley, don’t buy from the supermarkets, they are almost certain to be halal without mentioning it. Try to find a local independent butcher who knows exactly where his meat comes from and will willingly tell you if you ask.

      3. Diane
        October 3, 2022

        Ian W: I think £2 billion is the tip of the iceberg, it may cover hotels alone but there’s an ever increasing need and provision. Now look at Breitbart’s report of today 01/10/22 “UK Government cancels weddings at Victorian country mansion hotel to make way for migrants” Leaving aside medical provision, consider coach transfer costs throughout the country, taxis, pizzas, interpreters, Border Force fuel costs ( A recently reported figure of £ 560.000 plus for Jan to Aug ), contracts to private vessel operator/s to bring them in, as reported, new processing centres, new accommodation centres in the pipeline, monetary allowances to individuals, mobile phones ( we are told ), outside supplier contracts, more & costly incentives for landlords to offer up their properties, additional Border Force jobs ( 370 up for grabs in August )
        Also how is the UK to be / being affected by our Ireland / UK free movement policy / C T A & the proposed near blanket illegal migrant amnesty in Ireland and possibly EuroTunnel smuggling too. No stats for those. Out of control and, yes, a vote loser, agreed.

    3. Cheshire Girl
      October 2, 2022

      Indeed. This has been going on for many,many, years. The Conservatives have been in power for 12 years, and nothing has been done. Plenty has been said, about our ‘moral responsibility’, but nothing at all has been done.
      We all know that the Rwanda scheme will not work, as other schemes have not, and as we speak , hundreds are coming over the Channel every day. No wonder the Government don’t publish daily figures any more!
      There doesn’t seem to be a Party to vote for, who will do anything about this, Labour is every bit as bad, if not worse. The problem is totally out of control, and the taxpayer is forced to pay for it.
      I am really worried about what is going to happen to this Country in the future, as many others must be, Some of the immigrants are already bringing their country’s battles into this, once peaceful, Country. I don’t like saying this, but I sometimes think I would vote for The Devil himself, if he would do something about this.

      1. John Hatfield
        October 2, 2022

        There are indeed parties other than Labour and Consevative. Most voters say that the smaller parties are ‘not worth voting for’ because they don’t stand a chance. Well of course they don’t stand a chance if you don’t vote for them. If Liz Truss turns out to be a big business puppet liberal like her predecessors vote Reform.

      2. Narrow Shoulders
        October 3, 2022

        There doesn’t seem to be a Party to vote for, who will do anything about this, Labour is every bit as bad, if not worse.

        May I recommend spoiling your paper?

        If a significant portion of the electorate (over 15%) do this, the winners will have no creditability and a new party(ies) will emerge to mop up the votes.

        Just not turning up to vote is not enough, we must spoil the papers. This is a long term project

    4. Shirley M
      October 2, 2022

      You beat me to it, Mark B. This government (and all the other political parties) cannot pack them in quick enough. NONE of you care about the Brits and the consequences to us all.

      It isn’t just wages that suffer. We taxpayers are propping up the profits of companies that want masses of low paid employees. We get pushed down the queue for housing, medical care, and as you say … the infrastructure for power, water and sewage is never upgraded to accommodate the millions of immigrants we have taken in the last few decades. 6m from the EU alone!

      Apart from the financial aspects, the dinghy people are so disrespectful of UK law and genuine refugees. They know this before they set foot on our shores. WHY do you think they will be good citizens? They know from day one that they can ignore UK law entirely and be rewarded in return with 4* hotels and all the trimmings.

      1. Shirley M
        October 2, 2022

        Also Sir John, why are political parties such as yours so eager to be pro-diversity but in reality are anti-white? What is wrong with equality, for all? WHY must whites be legally discriminated against? Positive discrimination is still discrimination, but discrimination appears to be ok when discriminating against whites. Appeasement of non-whites and vocal minorities leads to more and more demands, ALL at the expense of the peaceful and majority. You are storing up one great big heap of trouble! Leicester is just the first warning signs.

        I doubt this post will be published, but I do hope you ask yourself, and your party, why you think this blatant discrimination is ‘good’ discrimination and how you can possibly believe it will not build resentment and conflict among the population.

        1. glen cullen
          October 2, 2022

          We now have to spend a month in contrition and anguish for the misgivings of two centuries ago; our government has agreed that we must endure for the ills of our forefathers by a month of re-education – black history month

          1. No Longer Anonymous
            October 2, 2022

            Barely any TV adverts white people.

          2. Mark
            October 2, 2022

            It might be a good thing if black history were properly revealed, warts and all.

          3. Narrow Shoulders
            October 3, 2022

            Do you think that black history month includes a segment on the selling of defeated tribes into slavery?

    5. Peter
      October 2, 2022

      MB,
      Agreed. This government is NOT discouraging economic migrants.

      Or any other sort of migrants including illegal entrants.

      Migration will continue to be ignored. Politicians do not care about their voters. They look to please the wealthy globalists who call all the shots.

      1. Lifelogic
        October 2, 2022

        Seems so, as with the moronic net zero agenda and the pushing of ineffective and dangerous net harm vaccines (these even to Children and the young who were never at any risk). Mrs Truss if you want to be on the right side of this debate then ditch the vaccines now at the very least for under 60s. As Denmark has done (under 50). It is worse than the blood scandal. Sir Chris Whitty was a fool to overrule JCVI on vaccination of children. The net harm figures are very clear.

        1. R.Grange
          October 2, 2022

          The government is gaslighting the public both in the area you mention and also immigration. It works by not mentioning or downplaying the consequences of the policies followed. The new Home Secretary took two weeks to visit Leicester and when she did made a very general and low-key statement about the violence there. The local Conservative MP Robert Blackman has tried to draw attention to what has been happening, but seems to be getting little official support. The authorities seem to be hoping the problem will just go away. I don’t think it will.

        2. Mickey Taking
          October 2, 2022

          This is now tedious and boring.

          1. Lifelogic
            October 3, 2022

            But true.

    6. Cuibono
      October 2, 2022

      +many
      Very well put. I am sure you are right.
      However, old “conspiracy” theories from the early days of the internet keep echoing in my ears.
      Like…in order to impose Marxism govts want civil upset.
      Looks to be working in some U.K. cities?

      1. anon
        October 3, 2022

        “A house divided cannot stand”
        It would seem that many issues seem to be coming to a head which are destabilising to so called “sovereign” western economies.

        The attacks on Truss seem co-ordinated to ensure we stay on the globalist path. Truss & Kwasi need to pick battles where the public will rally to them.

        Fully charge employers the capitalized amount £250k , getting the employer to pay immediately or via a “3rd party insurance bond” but still funded up front. This should then be spent on vocational training in those specific areas to say school leavers, or others where these skill lie. The minimum salary should be way above the average salary. Say £40-£50k per single for a couple or family it should be minimum £100k.

    7. Nigl
      October 2, 2022

      Somewhat intemperate but totally agree and reflects the anger, certainly I feel and many people I know.

      We have a million plus illegals in this country, I suspect you have zero idea where many are and a pathetic budget to find and repatriate them. Truss has already said she will open the gates. The points based system is a political con trick to confer legitimacy on even more people being allowed in

      Yes Mark B, they are clueless, rewarded for failure with honours, sinecures, inflation proof pensions looking after themselves. Pay rises, little transparency on expenses protected by IPSA.

      We are truly peed upon. Where’s my application to be a tumbril driver?

    8. Wanderer
      October 2, 2022

      +1. Italy gets Georgia Meloni, we get Liz Truss.

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        October 2, 2022

        We deserve better but until the voters wake up and stop voting for more of the same we are stuck with the same useless governments we’ve had for too long now. There are better alternatives out there and I will be voting for them. Nothing regarding immigration or net zero will change with Labour. If anything it will be worse.

        1. Bill B.
          October 2, 2022

          My view too, FUS. The only time the modern Conservative party follows sensible policies is when it fears losing voters, as we saw with UKIP and then the Brexit Party. My view is, if you want change but don’t want Starmer and Labour, it is essential to give your vote to a smaller party with real conservative policies. It’s exactly the opposite of the conventional view that that would be a wasted vote. It’s voting Tory that’s a wasted vote – you’d be voting for leaving things in the shocking state they’re in now.

        2. Narrow Shoulders
          October 3, 2022

          Spoil the paper or vote for a single issue party.

          We have to be prepared to vote to register our opinion and not vote for or against the winner.

    9. rose
      October 2, 2022

      What is the point of being abusive and insulting to one of the very few politicians who understands? The one politician who allows and encourages discussion to all at his own expense? It isn’t just disagreeable for him, it is disagreeable for us too. You can say what you like about the subject without being coarse and offensive. And if you leave out the coarseness, you won’t distract attention from the subject.

      1. Margaretbj.
        October 2, 2022

        Plus one

      2. Mark B
        October 2, 2022

        Believe it or not, I really held back. I can tolerate many things but, when someone or our government say and promise one thing and do the complete opposite, an opposite that will have serious consequences for this country (eg Leicester) I tend to speak as I find. You should find what I say less offensive to that what our government is doing. My words will not harm, the people they are allowing into this country will do far worse.

      3. cynic
        October 2, 2022

        Well put Rose. Offensive personal attacks are not wanted.

      4. Mickey Taking
        October 2, 2022

        Stating the undeniable honest truth cannot be insulting.

      5. Richard II
        October 2, 2022

        The first sentence of SJR’s post was not well-judged and came across to me as provocative. The rest was very cogent and something we need to hear more often, especially from those in power. First impressions always matter and it was just unfortunate the post began as it did.

    10. Gary Megson
      October 2, 2022

      Complete nonsense from you MarkB, and from J Redwood too. Immigration is the way to grow the economy, which then increases the tax take and so allows improvement to public services. It is really that simple. Bring in hard workers from outside the UK, and let them get on with it

      1. Teesside brexiteer
        October 2, 2022

        Generally low paid workers who take more from the system than they put in

      2. John Hatfield
        October 2, 2022

        Immigration may increase GDP but not GDP per person so it is false to say that immigration grows the economy.
        Immigration lowers productivity.

      3. miami.mode
        October 2, 2022

        Did you read the article Gary? “The EU once said that it costs a country about 250,000 Euros to provide all the capital it needs to welcome a new migrant”. How soon will each migrant repay this sum?

      4. outsider
        October 2, 2022

        Dear “Gary Megson”, In more idealistic days the Labour Party aimed for “an irreversible shift in wealth and power to working people and their families”. For me that is a fine principle provided that it means what is says rather than more power to the state. Mass immigration of good people, by contrast , is a great way to keep basic wages relatively low, to widen inequality and to keep the workers in their place. If GDP per head stays the same, what is the net benefit?

      5. Mickey Taking
        October 2, 2022

        Do we get them to sign a waiver? – if you don’t work hard and pay the very high taxes like the rest of us we will send you back?

      6. Narrow Shoulders
        October 3, 2022

        How much does a minimum wage worker pay in tax Gary?

        How much do they (and then their extended family) cost?

        Usually your postings are at least thought provoking, this one is just naive.

    11. Timaction
      October 2, 2022

      Indeed. All the facts and history show the Torys are a mass immigration party. No debate is needed, just another right of centre party to reduce it to zero and get rid of the illegals.

    12. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      What Government indeed? Hopefully this Truss one will finally get real – we shall soon see.

      As to Insurance it is nearly always a bad idea unless you are a higher risk than average but can get a normal premium. It is a bet with poor odds and nearly all the cards in the Insurance Companies Hands. This as much of your premium goes in admin costs, overheads, others fraudulent claims, insurance company profits and Osborne/Hammond/Sunak’s 12% insurance premium tax. Far better on average to save up and pay directly for private procedures if and when needed. Most operations cost rather less than a new EV car so just keep your old banger it is prob. a better car anyway and use that money. Paying say £150 for a consultancy to you NHS consultant privately can often speed up the NHS process too.

    13. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      +1 so King Charles wanted to make a speech at Cop27 in Egypt but was advised not to by the Government. So much for keeping out of politics (as he indicated he would only a few days back). I assume he would have gone by private jet and helicopter to rub salt in the wound of all those unable to pay heat their homes or pay their energy bills.

      But why is our government having anything to do with this bogus religious festival and even sending the dope Alok Sharma with many of his deluded entourage?

      1. Lifelogic
        October 2, 2022

        “Tory MP Tobias Ellwood (v. unhelpfully) said the King should reconsider and go anyway to the event Cop27” well yes if you want to damage the monarchy even further you do that King Charles. You take your private jets, helicopters, Astons & team and give another of your scientifically illiterate speeches like the:- “Just 96 months to save world, says Prince Charles” ( in July 2009 about 158 months back). Perhaps inform them on organic foods, talking to plants and quack medicines on the NHS while you are at it!

        Should go down very well with the shivering pensioners this winter especially. Finish with “do as I say not as I do you stupid plebs & citizens” It should go down a storm your majesty!

        1. miami.mode
          October 2, 2022

          It seems Tobias Ellwood had the whip withdrawn and is currently an Independent MP.

      2. glen cullen
        October 2, 2022

        The United Nations tentacles are everywhere …controlled by China and who knows

    14. Nottingham Lad Himself
      October 2, 2022

      Certainly, labour coming from places like India and Bangladesh – which Farage said the UK should welcome – is far cheaper than its peers from the European Union for any given job, and it has increased markedly since brexit, so I assume that his devout followers can only be cheering?

      1. Peter2
        October 2, 2022

        Now you are in favour of cheaper imported labour NHL
        Very odd

      2. Narrow Shoulders
        October 3, 2022

        The minimum wage applies to all nationalities @lad (including British youth, which are cheaper still).

    15. Lynn Atkinson
      October 3, 2022

      Biznews in SA reports today that 1.1 million visas have been issued by the U.K. this year. A record. Then of course there are all those who arrive uninvited for an extended stay in a seaside hotel with no tax, energy or mortgage worries.

  2. formula57
    October 2, 2022

    Australia has a failing “points based quota system” that admits people mismatched to its economic needs and that has fostered the creation of an under-class. Clearly, such an outcome is not inevitable but it shows points based systems need to be well-devised to produce optimal outcomes. Ours is unlikely to be, conflicting as a good system would with commitments recklessly given for political expediency to India and other Commonwealth states.

    1. outsider
      October 2, 2022

      Dear Formula, A points based migration system is only useful if it delivers the “right” people within an overall ceiling number. As we know, however, ministers are told that the public sector, and predominantly the National Health Service, depends on attracting people from abroad at practically all levels, on tests that have to be applied to the private sector. For instance, if there were a shortage of NHS cooks, nursing assistants or care workers, the same thresholds would logically apply across the whole economy.

  3. Fedupsoutherner
    October 2, 2022

    One of the biggest problens is that we haven’t a clue who these people are because they come here with no paperwork. Many are now Albanians and already many have been found to have criminal records before they arrive. The drug trafficking is out of control in many areas and a big percentage of those involved are Albanian. As far as I’m concerned anyone arriving on our shores without a passport is a criminal. Try doing it yourself and see where it gets you. Immigration levels under your governments watch is shocking.

    1. Shirley M
      October 2, 2022

      We may as well declare open house for foreign criminals. They know our prisons are much nicer than their own (should they be unlucky enough to get caught and/or prosecuted instead of a slap on the hand) and there is virtually no risk of them being deported, even if they commit violent and sadistic acts upon the population. In the event of deportation being threatened, they can call upon UK taxpayers to fund their HR defence of owning a cat!

  4. turboterrier
    October 2, 2022

    All the while the people here who cannot, will not seek to come off of a benefit subsidised life have even less chance of being encouraged to go and find a job and improve their lives as the incomers have already taken the vacant positions.

  5. Christine
    October 2, 2022

    Your party has promised to reduce the levels of immigration for years yet things have got much worse. How can you continue to lie to the public? I have no confidence in this government and this issue will see you out of office after the next general election.

    Your points based system isn’t fit for purpose and just allows businesses to import workers for lower costs than training a British person at the expense of the UK taxpayer.

  6. Hat man
    October 2, 2022

    Sir John correctly targets employers as the problem here. When Theresa May tried to restrict low-skill migration, they were up in arms: The government’s proposals for a post-Brexit immigration system ‘will deal a sucker punch to the economy, leaving industry short of the migrant workforce they rely on’, according to the CBI in December 2018. Same objection from the Federation of Small Businesses, which said seven in 10 small employers relied on mid- or low-skilled staff. Until the costs to society of our low-wage low productivity culture are addressed by a part in government not reliant on donations from businesses, nothing will be done, I’m afraid.

    1. margaret
      October 2, 2022

      That’s right; encouraging business’s to grow in other countries , pushing in low paid workers into the country to keep their profits high , ensuring that the trillionares keep their luxury mansions whilst we struggle. Management only go on what they are told. Do you really believe what is published?. All institutions work with the figures they are given. We have already seen how data is collected in tick boxes which omit or send information on a schizophrenic excursion. This grows and grows in the wrong direction . People parrot the same information as years go on written and perpetuated by Universities.
      No one cares .. full stop. Its about sucking up to the (some) callous rich . I personally don’t want the 100 million mansions in Palm Springs . I simply want good health and to enjoy the air I breathe in the presence of nature.I don’t want grossly offensive criminals to be allowed into the country to break down the ordered and sensible ways of life we hard 4 decades ago.

      1. Margaret Brandreth Jones
        October 2, 2022

        100 million dollar mansions.

    2. Mickey Taking
      October 2, 2022

      yep – its all about the worst of capitalism – ‘wanted ‘ a supply of low cost workers to do the manual or mind numbing boring work often in awful weather.

  7. Cuibono
    October 2, 2022

    Given that all the negatives in the article are absolutely spot on….what is the govt. going to actually DO about the 1,000+ folk arriving each day?
    Any plans?

    1. Donna
      October 2, 2022

      The RNLI are now going into French territorial waters to “save” the criminal migrants and instead of taking them to safety in France are bringing them from French territorial waters across the channel and into the UK.

      The Government has no plans to stop the invasion. They refuse to do what is necessary, which is to leave the ECHR and scrap the Human Rights Act.

      1. Shirley M
        October 2, 2022

        +1 – The government make illegal immigration as easy and attractive as possible. They may as well send out gold edged invitations.

        1. Mickey Taking
          October 2, 2022

          are we sending the dinghies back for re-use?

    2. glen cullen
      October 2, 2022

      Spot On Cuibono

  8. dixie
    October 2, 2022

    You are preaching to the choir John.
    Perhaps if there was also general recognition by the “consumer” of the true costs to the country of their “cheap” goods and our industries being given away by government and the City then we might get sustainable prosperity for more of our people.

  9. The Prangwizard
    October 2, 2022

    Sir John seems to think too much inward migration is just inconvenient.

  10. Cuibono
    October 2, 2022

    “Dulce et decorum est to imprison, track, deny food and warmth to one’s old, spent population and then, as a final humiliation, force it under threat of the law, to welcome its pampered replacement.
    Will the newcomers proves as amenable as the old plodders though?

    1. Cuibono
      October 2, 2022

      The “Cinderellaisation” of an entire population.
      No wonder the left hates fairytales.
      They are full of warnings!

    2. Mickey Taking
      October 2, 2022

      Could the old and pensionable be provided with bed and board at all these hotels, lots of service roles I would have thought? Might be very welcome for the next 6 months of winter.

  11. Old Albion
    October 2, 2022

    “The government is right to discourage economic migrants coming in”
    When did that happen? I seem to have missed it ……………..

    1. Cuibono
      October 2, 2022

      +1
      That’s exactly what I thought!
      All I see is the flower-strewn, red carpet leading to the warm embrace of a 4**** hotel.

    2. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      +1

    3. Mark B
      October 2, 2022

      +1

  12. BOF
    October 2, 2022

    Only 250,000? About 1,000,000 visas issued last year!

    What about the illegals being escorted across the channel daily, currently at the rate of 500 to 1,000 a day? Free money, free phone and free hotel accommodation!

    Now we have religious and racial tensions causing violence between different groups from the sub continent due to mass migration imposed on us by successive governments. Another huge cost in policing.

    I fully expect mass migration to continue until we achieve third world status.

    The CO2 is irrelevant. Just observe the climate alarmists as they make their way to the Cairo COP jamboree in private jets to cook up more misery for the masses.

    1. glen cullen
      October 2, 2022

      CO2 is smoke & mirrors ….we’re being invaded, plain & simple, and our culture is being eroded

      1. Mickey Taking
        October 2, 2022

        Culture is not a word I would use easily to describe life in the UK.

    2. turboterrier
      October 2, 2022

      BOF
      it is being reported on FB. Farage man of the people blog a headline from rmx news that 12 out of 16 German states are refusing to take in anymore immigrants at all. Not only us in that line of thinking then? If they can do it why can’t we?

      1. Shirley M
        October 2, 2022

        Clearly, it is because our politicians WANT mass immigration. They just pretend otherwise.

        1. John Hatfield
          October 2, 2022

          I don’t believe it is the politicians who want mass immigration, it is their big business ‘sponsors’.
          Politicians just do as they are told. This is why we need a populist party.

          1. Peter
            October 2, 2022

            JH,
            Agreed.

      2. BOF
        October 2, 2022

        + 1 turboterrier

  13. Mike Wilson
    October 2, 2022

    The government is right to discourage economic migrants coming in to keep wages low and fill low skilled jobs.

    How can you write this insulting nonsense? Every day you ‘welcome’ thousands of legal and illegal immigrants. You must think we’re all really stupid.

    1. glen cullen
      October 2, 2022

      +1

    2. Cuibono
      October 2, 2022

      +++Over 1,000 per day!
      Apparently now ( because of complaints re 4**** accommodation) to be silently and swiftly, with no local consultation, distributed to empty buildings around the country. Mainly the North allegedly.

    3. Mark B
      October 2, 2022

      So I am not the only one who saw that and hit the ceiling.

  14. Sharon
    October 2, 2022

    “ The EU once said that it costs a country about 250,000 Euros to provide all the capital it needs to welcome a new migrant. ”

    Er….! Why?

    My son’s fiancée, from SA was sponsored by the firm of accountants she works for, but she paid her own rent! My nephews mother-in-law, from Spain rented then bought with her English husband. My daughter moved to Australia to be with her Australian husband, and her visa stated that he had to support her if she wasn’t working.

    So why should the UK EXPECT to pay to house a migrant???? That is bang out of order.

    And as for the CO2, that’s absurd! They also breathe oxygen and drink water, which they’d do wherever they settle/live! We don’t need to reduce CO2 levels- that’s just propaganda being used to achieve an outcome. Control.

    1. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      Why well housing, places at schools, benefits, policing, health care, social services, legal aid…

  15. BW
    October 2, 2022

    Doesn’t matter anymore. The Tories seem to have pushed the self destruct button yet again. Oust a Boris. Not satisfied, Oust Liz. Keep stabbing. Labour don’t need to win the next election. The Tories will lose it for them. At least give Liz a chance.

    1. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      +1 what appalling people some Tory MPs are.

  16. Peter
    October 2, 2022

    MW,
    “How can you write this insulting nonsense? ”

    Maybe it is written to provoke the type of replies already posted.

    I note the article is couched in purely economic terms too. Any discussion of the impact on the fabric of our nation and the social consequences of migration is entirely absent.

    1. Mark B
      October 2, 2022

      I noticed that which is why I said what I said.

  17. Wanderer
    October 2, 2022

    The Tories have totally failed the people of this country on illegal immigration. 12 years. And much of that post-EU.

    Georgia Meloni was elected a few days ago. She’s an electrifying speaker and says what the majority think on the illegal migrant issue. She’s not afraid to call out fellow EU leaders, either. Here she tells Macron a few home truths: https://youtu.be/k2_zDVi48Yw

    If she is able to deliver to the Italians on this issue it will truly expose our ruling class for what they are. No wonder they want her to fail!

    1. Mark B
      October 2, 2022

      I’d swap Liz Truss for her any day.

    2. Mark B
      October 2, 2022

      Oh and I enjoyed her comment about how the French power their nuclear reactors from Uranium mined in Niger whilst 90% of that country has no energy of its own.

      Can’t see Liz Truss saying that.

  18. Nigl
    October 2, 2022

    Wow. The first time I have seen such anger and pushback against one of your posts. In other news I read the One Nation Tory Group (not one nation of course) are going bt push back against Truss’ 5% tax cut, conveniently forgetting Laffer. We need reminding this is the same group determined to accept a sell out Brexit keeping us in the EU in all but name.

    And motor mouth ‘the snake’ Gove thinks his views are of interest/value. He, May, the One Nation Group are all complicit in the mess we are in with their vanity an affront to the people they have affected.

    Your party’s only chance in the election is a United front. Some hope, turkeys voting for Christmas.

    1. Mark B
      October 2, 2022

      Isn’t it ironic that the Conservative party can vote in tax rises, including one that they promised to to raise, and yet when the new PM and Chancellor try to reverse it they go completely mental.

      Why don’t people like this just cross the floor of the house ?

    2. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      “One Nation” Tories were the “No Nation” and have the UK broken up into EU regions were/are they not?

      1. Peter
        October 2, 2022

        Lifelogic,

        No they were not. ‘One Nation Toryism’ was Disraeli’s phrase.

        Later on it was applied to those Conservatives who courted working class voters and accepted Attlee’s reforms were here to stay. Nothing to do with the EU. We had not joined at that stage.

        Perhaps you should have paid more attention to history ?

  19. Dave Andrews
    October 2, 2022

    How else are we to fill the jobs British people don’t want to do, and support the State including the pension benefits all those who have worked all their lives demand?
    We advertised an electronic engineer job earlier in the year amongst British universities. All but one of the applicants were foreign students, and even he was the son of Indian parents.

    1. Shirley M
      October 2, 2022

      Do we actually train enough UK people? Foreign students are more lucrative for the universities so I assume they get priority.

      1. Lifelogic
        October 2, 2022

        Half the UK trained doctors (very expensively trained) do not go on to work for the NHS. Hardly surprising as they pay them about £29K (less tax, NI, commuting, lunches and they have about £150K of student debt with £10K of interest PA on it). So they get less than the circa £1000PM need for rent and council tax left. Then they get a hard job in a disorganised poorly run organisation, with lack of proper specialist support, not enough time per patient and then are blamed for mistakes. Many can earn three times this in the City for less effort and less risk. One I knows a consultant become a lawyer and spends his time on medical litigation against them. Twice the pay and half the hassle he says.

    2. Bill B.
      October 2, 2022

      What starting salary were you offering for that job, Dave, and what part of the country was it in, if I may ask? It does matter.

      1. glen cullen
        October 2, 2022

        Correct – it does matter

      2. Dave Andrews
        October 2, 2022

        It didn’t even get as far as what salary.
        Are you looking for a job then?
        The thing is an independent company offers prospects for anyone with a curious mind to make their mark, and in a beautiful part of the South of England. We are of course constrained in what we offer because of global competition.
        Perhaps I might try to advertise a job that requires a degree in media studies (not that we need anyone). I fancy the response from British applicants might be far higher.

    3. Shirley M
      October 2, 2022

      In my previous business I remember one self employed lady complaining that she couldn’t get staff since we left the EU. Upon further enquiry I discovered she wanted a fully qualified person to manage a new shop, without additional staff, and she wanted to pay minimum wage! Minimum wage has become maximum wage among many employers since mass immigration began while in the EU.

      1. glen cullen
        October 2, 2022

        +1

      2. Dave Andrews
        October 2, 2022

        Someone coming straight out of university knows virtually nothing, hardly fully qualified. They will need to spend several years gaining practical knowledge and understanding before they can be really useful. My piano tuner tells me he did a 7 year apprenticeship but today people think learning to do a job means a 2 week course.
        Even freshly graduated students I’ve interviewed in the past have failed to understand the basics of circuit theory, as if in their 3/4 year course they learned nothing. So it’s not just the lack of engineering graduates, it’s also the quality of the university teaching.

        1. Mickey Taking
          October 2, 2022

          University teaching is largely sat in a bedsit or other ‘ in halls rooms’ trying to avoid boredom thumbing through dreary texts and looking forward to seeing mates in the evenings. Actual lecturing is becoming a once a week early morning start for students who sometimes fail to arise from the late night.

    4. a-tracy
      October 2, 2022

      Dave Andrews, how long has your university been offering the course? How many British electrical engineers are we training in UK universities each year?

    5. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      Half the UK trained doctors (very expensively trained) do not go on to work for the NHS. Hardly surprising as they pay them about £29K (less tax, NI, commuting, lunches and they have about £150K of student debt with £10K of interest PA on it). So they get less than the circa £1000PM need for rent and council tax left. Then they get a hard job in a disorganised poorly run organisation, with lack of proper specialist support, not enough time per patient and then are blamed for mistakes. Many can earn three times this in the City for less effort and less risk. One I knows a consultant become a lawyer and spends his time on medical litigation against them. Twice the pay and half the hassle he says.

      1. glen cullen
        October 2, 2022

        You should really quote the average doctors pay and not their starting salary …its just a little bit more honest
        I never like it when people and the media quote the pay of teachers, police and nurse – but only quote their starting salary …thats spin

      2. Bill B.
        October 3, 2022

        Exactly the point, LL. And a lot of the managers and consultants with arts degrees are on six figures.

      3. a-tracy
        October 4, 2022

        Lifelogic, £150k of ‘English’ student loan, how did you arrive at that figure?
        Isn’t the first four-year part of the degree an undergraduate degree of £9250 pa £37,000? What do they get charged for the Masters 2 years £11k pa? £22,000.
        Aren’t they being trained and paid on the wards from year seven or are they still accruing tuition fees if so, how much per year?
        If they take a maximum maintenance grant it was £3919 pa it is now £4000pa so on today’s rate 6 years at £4k = £24,000.
        The interest rate, due to something called the Prevailing Market Rate, this figure has been reduced to 6.3% in September 2022 for all loans. Don’t get me wrong I’m furious that only the English pay these tuition fees, well a graduate tax of 9% for most of their life on plan 2/3 loans and the other nations of the UK don’t with no extra taxation on the general public to pay for it.

        1. Lifelogic
          October 5, 2022

          Well six years fees plus living costs. Circa £25000 PA x6=150000.

    6. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      What were you offering to pay and how much are rents in that area. Pay less tax, less NI, less pension cont. less commuting and other work costs leaves for the chap (almost certainly a chap) to live on?

      A bright & qualified gas fitter or electrician can earn £100K after a couple of years of training and without any degree.

    7. No Longer Anonymous
      October 2, 2022

      “Don’t want to do” because dole is a lifestyle option.

  20. Jamie
    October 2, 2022

    We had it good before brexit – we had the right balance with seasonal workers – but you blockheads thought we could do better by ourselves ‘”taking back control” that and with all of the old sloganeering and insults thrown to the European Parliament you made the mess of the economy that we have now. ‘ERG’ blockheads that’s all I can say and you JR are one of the worst because you are an educated type and have had access to thd media but alas delusional as well about how things should be – so you see it hasn’t worked out – what a mess and all on the Tory watch. Jeez

    1. IanT
      October 2, 2022

      The media likes to keep our focus on UK problems Jamie, whilst trying to ignore what’s going on in the EU.

      Inflation is higher across the EU (10.1%) currently than the UK (9.9%) with Germany at 10.9% amd Holland at an alarming 17.1%. The Euro has pretty much come down against the dollar the same as the pound (as has the Yen). Nor is the problem with Pension derivatives (LDIs) neccessarily confined to the UK. I’m very sure the same instruments have been sold to funds elsewhere, including Europe.

      In fact, the ECB has quite a problem on it’s hands when inflation in Italy is about 6% and in Holland 17%. What’s good for one country will not favour the others. So far the ECB has sat on it’s hands and done very little. That’s a big mistake because the Fed isn’t finished yet and however much you worship the Euro, others worship the US Dollar more.

      Just looking a Germany (the powerhouse and paymaster of the EU) is frankly quite bad enough. They cannot buckle to Russian gas demands now (someone has taken that option off the table) so they are going to have a very hard Winter because (unlike the UK) they don’t have any significant other gas pipelines or enough LPG terminals. One of their main industries (cars) is also suffering from new ‘disruptors’ such as the Chinese (MG4 anyone?) and Tesla. So we are far from being alone in our misery and even the US will eventually be effected.

      So, whilst it won’t be fun in our lifeboat, at least we do have one of our own. We are not stuck on the “unsinkable” ship and fighting the 27 other passengers for a lifebelt.

      1. Clough
        October 3, 2022

        IanT, Russia wasn’t ‘making gas demands’, it was offering to keep selling gas, at a very competitive price on long-term reliable contracts. That was the basis on which Germany’s economy operated since the 1970s, allowing German industry to keep its place in global markets. Now that’s gone permanently. A few days after mass demos in German cities calling for opening Nordstream 2.
        Who could this possibly benefit? I haven’t heard the Greens complaining about the pipeline explosions, for a start.

    2. a-tracy
      October 2, 2022

      We have 5% unemployment in Liverpool alone Jamie, they could start there and enable unemployed people who can’t find jobs locally in Liverpool to be moved to high unemployment areas to work in Norman’s retail jobs, local farms and abattoirs – where are the foreign immigrants to live near to them to come to the UK? Why can’t the British unemployed be moved. We are too soft with these people.

      1. anon
        October 3, 2022

        Why can’t small business be given grants to re-locate to areas with local under-employed skills.
        That is a better idea than MASS IMMIGRATION.

        However mass immigration is a globalist policy aim and nothing really to do with the economy. It will continue to happen until you vote for another. Be prepared you will be called names. You will get the “Trump treatment”.

        1. a-tracy
          October 5, 2022

          anon, I wasn’t talking of more immigration I was talking of facilitating the movement of people already in the UK with poor opportunities in one area to move to another in the UK; I have always been very impressed by the foreign networks in our cities who help the people from their homeland to get low-cost rents, house shares, job opportunities, we English have very little like this so people get stuck in places like Liverpool when they could move.

          Small business owners tend to set up close to their home bases or where the owners want to live.

    3. Matthu
      October 2, 2022

      By blockheads, Jamie, do you mean the majority? The “basket of déplorables”?
      (You sound just like Hillary.)

  21. Norman
    October 2, 2022

    The dynamics of the market – nearly every business in the local retail park has a banner out saying ‘we are recruiting’. Local farms and abattoirs could not function without workers from Eastern Europe who are prepared to get their hands dirty. There’s a crisis of educational values in our culture that has led to this. Also, our country is the best in the world to come to. Is the problem solvable? Where there’s a will, there’s a way! Give Liz time and constructive support to get this done, too. Last week’s onslaught against her was hateful and destructive. Interesting to see the BBC rowed back a bit later – perhaps the hierarchy realized it might affect their future.

    1. glen cullen
      October 2, 2022

      Somebody in the UK must’ve done those jobs prior to Bliars rush to high immigration
      There’s zero red-tape when employing an illegal worker, but lots of extra bureaucracy and costs when employing someone legally – even if its only short term or part-time

      1. a-tracy
        October 4, 2022

        Well, they did glen, but they were in multiple small-scale, often family or farm abattoirs, without the horrors that exist in the large cull meat operations that we imported from Europe with the mental health problems of the workers killing too many animals each day.

  22. believe me
    October 2, 2022

    She’s still on about our troubles – they are all global and all the fault of Putin.. then she goes on about how she understands about the worries of the mortgages holders.. UK high borrowing rates dismissed – it’s also global but Laura has her tied down – what a liar

    1. graham1946
      October 2, 2022

      I see in her interview today she has chucked Kamikwasi under the bus, saying the tax cut for billionaires is his idea. Be prepared for a Chancellor sacking to save her skin. She may just last until Christmas. She makes Labour look believable. Her constant waving of her left hand is very off putting and she needs tv training urgently.

      1. Mickey Taking
        October 2, 2022

        Don’t be cruel – I hope I won’t offend but our kind host waves his arms around more than anyone I can remember.

      2. rose
        October 2, 2022

        Why is it shocking news that a Chancellor keeps his tax plans to himself? In 1947 Hugh Dalton divulged one sentence of his budget just before he announced it and had to resign.

  23. Donna
    October 2, 2022

    There hasn’t been a single post WW2 Government which has discouraged economic migrants. Since 1997 the borders have basically been dismantled so that virtually anyone can enter the UK and take advantage of British taxpayers.

    10 million have done so over the past 25 years. One million in the last year alone. Plus 50,000 criminal migrants who have been given a free ferry ride and “free everything else” on arrival.

    At the moment “ethnic minorities” make up around 15% of the population. In 30 years time, when the pre-mass immigration generations born in the ’40s and 50s have passed on, over 50% of the population will be “ethnic minorities.”

    The native peoples of these islands have been dispossessed by the Globalists and THEIR politicians.

    I am sick to death of being lied to by so-called Conservative politicians who say they will reduce immigration and then do the exact opposite.

    1. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      Our Plan | Conservative Manifesto 2019 as below – (the only one they seem not to have ratted on is the totally misguided and hugely damaging promise of “net zero by 2050”)

      Extra funding for the NHS, with 50,000 more nurses and 50 million more GP surgery appointments a year.
      20,000 more police and tougher sentencing for criminals.
      An Australian-style points-based system to control immigration.
      Millions more invested every week in science, schools, apprenticeships and infrastructure while controlling debt.
      Reaching Net Zero by 2050 with investment in clean energy solutions and green infrastructure to reduce carbon emissions and pollution.
      We will not raise the rate of income tax, VAT or National Insurance.
      We Will Put You First
      Getting Brexit done. Investing in our public services and infrastructure. Supporting workers and families. Strengthening the Union. Unleashing Britain’s potential.

      True Labour/SNP will be even worse!

      1. Mickey Taking
        October 2, 2022

        ‘Millions more invested every week in science, schools, apprenticeships and infrastructure while controlling debt’

        My God did people fall for that?

    2. rose
      October 2, 2022

      “There hasn’t been a single post WW2 Government which has discouraged economic migrants.”

      Actually, Home Secretary Robert Carr did, quietly and discreetly, from 1972-74, following the Birmingham speech in 1968. He explained his tightening up legislation to the House and for some reason it went through. It then endured till 1997. Before 1997, people said primary immigration had more or less stopped.

  24. Pat
    October 2, 2022

    Thank you for sticking your head above the parapet in highlighting this disgraceful situation which needs to be most urgently rectified.
    It won’t be, and will lose the conservatives the next election, a triviality in the context of the irreversible harm inflicted on our country.

    1. Shirley M
      October 2, 2022

      +1 Pat. We need to shake up the main parties, who all appear to sing from the same hymn sheet to varying degrees. The choice between the main parties is NO choice, just more of the same destructive policies.

  25. Iain Moore
    October 2, 2022

    The invasion ( an unwelcome intrusion into another’s domain) across the channel won’t be fixed while we are signatories to the UN 1951 Refugee Convention, the ECHR, and have the Human Rights Act on the books , and won’t be removed for our Political class are more wedded to internationalist obligations than doing what is right by our country, even when they are destroying it.

    As for immigration, our economy has been so distorted by it we have become mass immigration junkies, with no Government prepared to get us off this exponentially rising demand for more low wage immigrants to support the previous low wage immigrants , all bank rolled by Government largesse, which is now bank rolled by the funny money tree of QE. The Government issued 1.1 MILLION visas last year, strewth this is unbelievable , and they are still saying we don’t have enough immigration , with Truss saying she wants more immigration. Tell you what, why don’t we short circuit the British establishment’s agenda, let’s just torch the country, let’s burn the country to the ground right now, after all the British establishment’s agenda is to destroy it.

  26. Roy Grainger
    October 2, 2022

    This is quite a puzzling post, it has been widely briefed to the media by the government that they are intending to increase immigration of those with particular skills (I suppose partly in pursuit of a trade deal with India ?) as a means to boost growth but also increase unskilled immigration to work in the agricultural sector. Are you saying they’ve changed their minds ? On illegal cross-channel immigration we’ve heard nothing at all so it is unclear if the new government intend to do anything about it or not.

    1. IanT
      October 2, 2022

      I think I need to research if there is a legal (and practical?) difference between immigration and temporary work visas?

  27. DOM
    October 2, 2022

    We all know immigration is assisted by globalist leaders and an act of ideological and electoral politics not an act of economic necessity. The aim is to destroy borders and create instability and tease social tension. It is deliberate

  28. IanT
    October 2, 2022

    All my ‘children’ are married and have probably had all the grandchildren they are going to gift me with. In terms of demographics, my families contribution to population growth is 1.5, when you need 2.3 to just maintain current numbers. Our ‘native’ (e.g. been here for several generations) population is shrinking. We need some inward migration (as there always has been) to offset some of the problem but why all of it? We have limited resources and space, so some easing of population might be very good.
    What about “low skilled” labour. Well we’ve shipped in lots of that and in the process kept wages low but also discouraged investement. Many of these jobs could be automated. Think not? Well how many taxi and delivery drivers will we need in 10 years time if self drive vehicles arrive. Watched a self driving taxi (in San Franscisco) on TV last night, not perfect but they are real. This will extend to many other areas, so if we are not careful we will be importing the unemployable.
    As for the cost of skilled migrants, there was a very nice Asian NHS Consultant on TV a few weeks ago. Highly skilled and just arrived. But I noticed that in the room were her husband, two children and two elderly people (presumably parents) – who I’m sure she supports but who also all need public services.
    Frankly, I think many of the folk busy striking right now really need to think about their longer term prospects. Will we need train drivers in the future? How many people will still use the post? I think labour shortages may not be a problem if you look just a little further ahead – but finding work for the non-skilled will be.

  29. a-tracy
    October 2, 2022

    « We are getting instances where convicted paedophiles, convicted drug dealers, convicted murderers, who served their sentences in English jails — at the end of their sentence, we want to deport them because they are considered to be foreign national offenders. “What do they do? They claim modern slavery«  Braverman today in the Express.

    We are being tied up in knots by the UN, ECHR, 20 year rules on immigration, 10 year rules on immigration. France can just ignore them, Italy will ignore them. The whole thing is about to go pop. Anyone saying this will sink the Tories at the next election, what do they honestly think Labour or the Lib Dems or the SNP would do any different, in fact Sturgeon welcomes immigration and wants more. The Labour Party MPs campaign against restrictions, returns, and any attempt to sort this out, before the UK even tries it.

    John this is a light blue touch paper moment. Until we remove the legislation that holds us up your party and no other can do anything. The Lords stop any reasonable response, we are tied up in knots and the people feel helpless against the minority, often led by foreign immigrants in the UK that want a free for all. STOP giving housing, medical without medical travel insurance and contributions to their own care. If you do allow all this immigration allow it without financial benefits just do a France.

    1. Lifelogic
      October 2, 2022

      Modern Slavery act – another disaster from Theresa May (this while Home Secretary). On top of her appalling attempt to subvert democracy and the EU referendum result, the idiotic throwing of her majority and her appalling net zero lunacy. Not easy to be the worse PM in my lifetime (very stiff competition) but a valiant attempt Mrs May.

  30. DOM
    October 2, 2022

    Each immigrant is a potential voter. Each immigrant also provides the diversity zealots with raw material to pursue their agenda that revolves around racial identity and power. We can see this in action in the US today on the southern borders.

    Shame. Blame. Demonisation. Power. Identity. Criminalisation. Denunciation. All parts of the Left’s authoritarian crusade that is now flowing through the veins of our beloved public sector

    Apparently we are now all to blame. I like to apologise for existing and breathing

  31. glen cullen
    October 2, 2022

    Is the UK the only nation that allows economic immigrants and foreign students to free health care, housing, other benefits and tax credit ….and to bring in their families ….with a high percentage overstaying their visa, often claiming ECHRs to continued family life – I’d like to know the full numbers both legal and illegal immigration

    1. miami.mode
      October 2, 2022

      Free healthcare is available on residency and it is extremely doubtful this is available anywhere else in the world.

    2. Peter Parsons
      October 2, 2022

      The UK doesn’t allow this. Economic migrants and students have to pay an NHS surcharge on top of the cost of their visa application

      1. a-tracy
        October 4, 2022

        They don’t pay it though Peter, they still rock up for treatment, I knew lots of foreign students.

  32. MWB
    October 2, 2022

    Utter rubbish. You and Labour are the parties of mass 3rd world immigration.

  33. Pat
    October 2, 2022

    In the current febrile atmosphere surrounding the prime minister and her policies, it has been proposed that selection of leaders should be confined to the Parliamentary Conservative Party, removing the voting rights of the membership.
    This would erode the influence of ordinary voters on MPs and damage UK democracy.

  34. majorfrustration
    October 2, 2022

    Start getting the excuses ready “we lost the election because – pick any two of three.

  35. glen cullen
    October 2, 2022

    Food processing plants, corner shops, car washes, nail polishing outlets, food takeaways, office cleaning, food delivery scooters etc etc
    All foreign cheap labour …but more worrying they’re often a front to bring in families, rotate foreign students in shops, establish a vehicle for fraud and criminal activity and forced to work in prostitution and the drug trade

    And yet this government keeps diluting the financial threshold on who can come here and use our services free …this government needs to rise the bar and ensure that every immigrant has health insurance, places in private schools for children and pays full tax

    1. Mark B
      October 2, 2022

      Exactly.

  36. SecretPeople
    October 2, 2022

    As a country we permitted 6m+ EU nationals to settle here. They were the ones said to be willing to do the jobs our own supposedly wouldn’t do. Once here, with us having no contributory benefits system, they too become the unwilling and lazy, presumably.

    Even if a case could be made to import low-paid no/low skilled workers – on temporary visas? – how would we ensure they leave at the end of their term? How are those people currently working 9 – 12 hours a week going to expand their hours if we flood the country with workers?

    Lastly, a third children at a primary school of our acquaintance were Polish. At the nearest school to where we lived, 84% had English as a second language. We moved house.

    It’s obvious that immigration impacts schools, healthcare, housing, sewerage, water supply, demand for electricity and food, vehicular traffic – and state (taxpayer) subsidy, all the while displacing our own. The current situation is not sustainable.

    1. IanT
      October 2, 2022

      The two Polish familes we know are hard working and very good parents. Some Poles have now returned home (I understand wages have improved there) but those that stayed seem to be intergrating well. If you are going to have immigration, then you could do a great deal worse than the Polish!

      1. glen cullen
        October 2, 2022

        We all have a story, good & bad. Our neighbours, for a couple of years where a young polish family with a son and grandmother, they where very open about working in the UK for a higher salary but mainly for the free access to our NHS for their son and grandmother who both required multiple operations, lengthy aftercare and medication …they where a nice family who knew how to use our system

      2. Mark B
        October 2, 2022

        I agree. The Pole that live near me are hard working, and good people. I am NOT against immigrants. I am against MASS IMMIGRATION and said immigrants accessing FREE at the point of use public services. They are overloaded !

        1. Shirley M
          October 2, 2022

          Snap, Mark B. Have you noticed that immigrants who come for low paid work do not stay in low paid work. Like everyone else they want to better themselves and get a better job a.s.a.p. This leaves the low paid jobs vacant again, and more calls for low pay immigration. It’s just a back door scheme to get more immigrants into the UK and a ponzi scheme for the pro-immigration parties (which appears to be all the main parties). They think the public don’t notice that low paid jobs are permanently understaffed, even when we have millions of immigrants (6m from EU alone).

      3. SecretPeople
        October 3, 2022

        Ian, my point is that a third of places were given to the children of recent arrivals, meaning that others were squeezed out of the system. A year or two later and our child wouldn’t have had a place.

        EU citizens are said to be net tax payers to a slight degree (the others aren’t). But does that take into account all the services they receive? Does it take into account the cost of paying the existing potential workforce to stay at home? Mass uncontrolled immigration is not good for us and cannot continue. We are feeling the strain.

  37. Al
    October 2, 2022

    “The government is right to discourage economic migrants coming in to keep wages low and fill low skilled jobs.” – JR

    They would be right to, but that is certainly not what they are doing! (And then they say that they won’t provide wage support to UK individuals who take such low skilled and low paid jobs, leaving only undocumented immigrants willing to take those jobs while the government fosters benefits dependency and close a route into employment…)

  38. Original Richard
    October 2, 2022

    “The government is right to discourage economic migrants coming in to keep wages low and fill low skilled jobs.”

    Are you sure, Sir John, that the Government wishes to discourage economic migrants, particularly those with little or no skills?

    I definitely have the impression that the Government, and indeed the majority of Parliament, are very keen on such mass immigration, many even calling for completely open borders.

    The Government even encourages illegal immigration of unidentified young men of fighting age by giving them free accommodation, £40/week pocket money and the complete freedom to roam our streets enabling them to take low wage black market jobs or engage in illegal activities. The Cabinet Office and the Home Office are even funding the organisations taking them to court over their Rwanda plan.

  39. Original Richard
    October 2, 2022

    “Rapid rates of inward migration also makes CO2 reduction much more difficult to achieve.”

    The Government’s Net Zero Strategy aims for a 30% reduction in total energy used by 2050 despite an expected population increase of at least 10 million people.

    [NGESO FES 2050 Customer Transformation]

    Not forgetting that the CO2 reduction aim is not only economically unachievable but is actually harmful to life on this planet. CO2, plant food, is at almost its lowest level for the last 500 million years, the start of the Cambrian explosion, and at the last ice age maximum, just 22,000 years ago, dropped to 180 ppm just 30 ppm above the level below which plants cannot survive. We need to increase atmospheric CO2 to green the planet and grow more food.

  40. glen cullen
    October 2, 2022

    In other news – I see today I’m being bombarded on social media to ‘black history month’
    Black history month is an USA invention and observance, so why does the UK government feel the need to endorse this movement which is just a woke tick in the box …why doesn’t the UK observe the differing race, creed & colours every day equally

  41. XY
    October 2, 2022

    A “points based system” is ony as good as the points it doles out.

    In a country overrun by immigrants, we need to stingy. It seems the wonderful new system gives points out for spelling your name correctly judging by the net inflows figure, which is all that matters.

    They set the salary bar so low for “skilled workers” that we are overrun – and then their extended families still get to come here.

    WORK VISAS – are for people who come here to work, not immigration.
    REMOTE WORKING – from their own country for white collar office-based work, not a permanent right to reside.

    Please don’t tell us about the wonderful points system – it’s not working. Tighten it up and get the net figures in negative territory.

  42. Bloke
    October 2, 2022

    The Reform Party are more likely to remedy what is so wrong.

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      October 2, 2022

      Bloje. Not just more likely but definitely if Farage has anything to do with the party. Bring it on.

      1. glen cullen
        October 2, 2022

        +1

  43. Ed M
    October 2, 2022

    At centre of all this is DYSFUNCTIONALITY.

    Everyone in the Western World and in world in general is dysfunctional (psychologically imbalanced), from one degree to another, mainly due to childhood upbringing but for other important reasons too (this is ALL SCIENTIFICALLY-based – nothing controversial here). And in turn leads to HUGE costs on the tax payer:

    1) People being work shy
    2) Low productivity
    3) People taking short-cuts at work / poor work ethic
    4) Addictions (Drink, food, video games, drugs, porn etc) – affecting work but also NHS and family and social relationships.
    And so on (this is just the tip of the ice-berg).

    One solution is if the Tory Party formed some kind of charity where retired Conservatives learned skills to help people with psychological imbalance and trauma. Psychological techniques. But also just general human moral support and guidance.

    I recently passed St James Church Piccadilly where The C of E had this little log cabin and a guy standing outside it where you could come in for a chat and talk about your problems. I tried it for a laugh, mainly out of curiosity. And I went in just chatting with the guy in general about what he was trying to achieve. And before I knew it, he had me talking about myself and my problems and I got a lot of my chest! We need far more of this type of thing. I don’t know figure out ways of being able to help people but without being intrusive / annoying / goody-goody-two-shoes.

    But something needs to be done. Politics or economic policy isn’t nearly enough. We need more Tories in the churches (Protestant and Catholic), Arts, Media, Education and so on helping out.

    1. Mickey Taking
      October 2, 2022

      Your walk past the Church seems to have proved your point, you appear to have concerns about all 4 features!

  44. Ed M
    October 2, 2022

    I agree with this article. But politics / economic policy isn’t enough.

    However, more needs to be done in terms of soft support to help many people in this country who have underlying psychological problems (mainly from childhood) / psychological imbalance that leads to people being work shy / low in terms of productivity / poor work ethic and so on and so why some feel compelled to invite economic migrants into the country.
    By soft support, I don’t mean throwing lots of money at the problem (this is a socialist idea) but of Tories (in particular the retired: 65+ of age) to learn skills to talk to and help people with life problems, to help steer them in a more positive direction, encourage them to take more responsibility for themselves.

    The Tories (in particular retried ones and members of The House of Lords) could do this by setting up a special charity or foundation to accomplish this and tied in with the churches and people in the arts, media, education and so on.

  45. LB
    October 2, 2022

    A min wage migrant pays £900 a year in tax. A migrant dependent pays no tax.
    John Redwood and co in Westminster spend £17,000 a year per had.
    Who pays the difference? It’s not corporates. It’s the plebs who are forced to pay

    1. a-tracy
      October 2, 2022

      If the worker is PAYE LB it is more like a £4000 contribution in tax and ni.

    2. glen cullen
      October 2, 2022

      ‘’ Everyone needs to meet the eligibility rules to claim Child Benefit. If you’re moving to the UK from abroad you also need to prove that you: have the right to reside in the UK; live in the UK as your main home; In MOST CASES, your child must live with you.
      If your child lives in an EU country, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein (the EEA), or Switzerland; You may be eligible for child benefit ‘’ https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-move-to-uk
      Can anybody explain this ?

      1. Christine
        October 3, 2022

        Part of the Withdrawal Agreement. Retained rights.

        1. anon
          October 3, 2022

          Easy withdraw child benefit. Bring in personal allowance to compensate.

  46. Berkshire Alan
    October 2, 2022

    I have no problem with a properly controlled points based immigration system, providing it has been well thought out, proves fit for purpose, and is revised every year.
    Unfortunately that is not what we have is it !
    We do not even seem to have control of so called legal entries to our Country, or their relatives who follow on.
    We are so dumb, we do not even count them properly, we do an estimate from a random count, at random points of entry.
    Those who enter illegally are not turned away immediately, but are supported for many months with Health care, food, board, lodging in good quality establishments, which are often much better than some of our own Nationals can afford, and who may have paid into the system for decades.
    For goodness sake they are even given some spending Money !
    No wonder we have a pull factor and more and more take the MICKEY out of our completely failed system.
    You suggests it costs £250,000 per immigrant, let us not forget that is taxpayers money !

    Our so called immigration system is a FARCE, but only you and few other MP”s will admit it, you have all been saying you will do something about it for more than a decade, you have all failed and failed miserably,
    For goodness sake get your act together.

  47. Iain gill
    October 2, 2022

    No, it doesn’t matter how skilled the immigrant is if we have, or could easily have enough with a bit of training, of similar skills already then we don’t need them.
    Politicians should learn this quickly.

    1. glen cullen
      October 2, 2022

      There was a time when our immigration need was assessed by our employment skills gaps …now its just a free-for-all

  48. mancunius
    October 2, 2022

    “The government is right *begin* to discourage economic migrants coming in…”
    But of course no Tory government never does.
    Just on the point of ‘the need for health capacity’ – the number of patients per GP practice has risen by nearly 22% since 2016. My local practice manager told me five years ago that they had more than 14,000 patients. God knows how many it is now. I have witnessed myself how patients are simply allowed to sign on with the practice, obviously new in the country, little or no English, and no checks at all made on their ID or right to remain.
    My (quite young) GP now works a small number of hours on three days a week.

    1. mancunius
      October 3, 2022

      recte: “The government is right *should begin* to discourage economic migrants coming in…”

  49. Stephen Reay
    October 2, 2022

    The control off illegal immigration is shocking. Once the government does away with the human rights act things will be easier to send illegal immigrates back. I for one and many others will not vote for Conservatives with Liz at the helmn. We will remember that she nearly tanked our defined benefit pensions, we will remember, we will remember.

    1. Mike Wilson
      October 2, 2022

      We will remember that she nearly tanked our defined benefit pensions

      What nonsense! She didn’t tank them. They are unaffordable and undeserved. To try to find the money the pension funds have been in the casino. You should thank Truss that she allowed the Bank of England to bail out your pension. No doubt I’ll be picking up the tab, as usual.

      If I’d been in charge there would have been no bail out and you would have been left with a pension commensurate with what you paid in, not the fantasy guaranteed, index linked proportion of your final salary that you do have at everyone else’s expense.

  50. Lester_Cynic
    October 2, 2022

    I think that your contributors have caught up with you and now realise exactly what you’re doing
    Time to end the farce?

    Reply If you do like what I write you do not have to read it.

    1. Lester_Cynic
      October 2, 2022

      Reply to reply

      Why do you need to write it?

      1. Mickey Taking
        October 2, 2022

        It used to be that young men went into either the Church, the Army or Politics.
        Sir John is just doing his ‘winning hearts and minds’ thing.
        Sadly in more recent years the resistance has become very difficult.

  51. paul
    October 2, 2022

    I have noticed over the last 20 odd years that banks hate to lend to the real economy and to have people deposits to deal with, they like world markets and housing at the short end, they do not have the infrastructure now to deal with the public, the idea of setting up new banks in 2009 was good one but never really happened as it should done and that idea should be bought forward in small steps by starting in areas like the south west, the south and south east and work there way up the east coast, business loan deposits government debt and long end of housings market 15 to 30 years, it best to make a start, you should at least act like your there for the plebs.

    1. Mitchel
      October 3, 2022

      Read “Killing the Host-How financial parasites and debt destroy the global economy” by Dr Michael Hudson.2015.

      Truss and our host now want more of these people here.No thanks!

  52. mancunius
    October 2, 2022

    On a general point, Sir John, you seem to so often portray a version of the Conservative Party that was already obsolete by the inter-war period, when it was infiltrated by ‘ex’-Liberals. The so-called One-Nation group (they might as well be open about it and call themselves the Common Purpose group) which mysteriously evades press scrutiny has its sights set on overthrowing the Conservative government and then of either crossing the floor and becoming Labour MPs, or of sitting out their days in comfort as well-paid but inactive ‘Tory’ opposition MPs.
    The intermediary 45% tax abolition is a mere pretext: what they aim at is rejoining the EU and getting their revenge on the democratic vote. The talk of economy, ‘Sunak good, Truss bad’, ‘unfunded tax reductions’ (it is the state that is unfunded – individual taxpayers are pretty well funded until they have to pay tax) and mythical voter resentment is all just a fraudulent pretext.
    Your personal stance of ‘see no evil’ cannot be sustained. Dissent is healthy: anti-democratic subversion is not.

  53. believe me
    October 2, 2022

    Just listening to that Jake Berry on the Andrew Neil show and can only conclude that we are in big big trouble now. Berry clearly has no idea about what he’s at or where we’re going. It’s bloody awful to think that he’s representative of our government.

  54. Peter Parsons
    October 2, 2022

    I see that the CEO of Somerset Capital Management (Jacob Rees-Mogg’s firm) has been given a peerage and appointed as a minister in the Cabinet Office and the Department for International Trade.

    How much of our money is this costing (and other than write large cheques to Conservative party funds, what exactly has he done to earn this)?

    1. Mike Wilson
      October 2, 2022

      How much of our money is this costing (and other than write large cheques to Conservative party funds, what exactly has he done to earn this)?

      I know this one. He went to the right school and was born in the right class.

    2. mancunius
      October 3, 2022

      Rees-Mogg has had no role in Somerset Capital Management since he ended it in 2019. Dominic Johnson, SCM’s co-founder, has also resigned from the firm. Johnson (b.1947, so now in his mid-70s) is a highly effective and knowledgeable business and financial specialist. His is exactly the sort of expertise and long-term experience needed to shake up the Department for International Trade.
      His having given so generously to the Conservative Party gives at least some hope that he may well be a Conservative: a contrast with many ‘One-Nation’ and europhile Tory MPs and peers.

  55. JayGee
    October 2, 2022

    “Cheap labour from abroad is not cheap for the taxpayers” is your chosen title for this piece.

    How come our care homes and domiciliary care system are all staffed with cheap labour from abroad? Have been for years now. As has the NHS. Many of those same ‘cheap’ staff come to this country via Gangmasters, and many end up living in squalid conditions while they work for a pittance, sending as much money as they can save back to their family in, say, the Philippines. I don’t recall your efforts to improve the situation in our care homes, so please remind me.

  56. glen cullen
    October 2, 2022

    In a party that’s main principal are the policies of lowering taxes we have today two ex-cabinet ministers, Gove & Shapps, who have publically said they’d vote against lower taxes ….thats the whole problem in a nut shell, we have too many senior Tory MPs that aren’t Tory

  57. Mark
    October 2, 2022

    Surprised that not one of the comments I have read mentions the new Home Secretary, who is the relevant minister. Several of her recent pronouncements suggest that she “gets it”. Particularly pointing out that low wage migrants do not improve our lot as a country, but also attacking the poor quality of woke policing, etc. However, it remains to be seen what strategy she has for securing progress out of the department that has the longest record of being branded not fit for purpose. I fear that although her aims may be laudable she will be prevented from achieving anything by her department. Perhaps by Parliament too. She is going to need support from the public siding with her against those obstructions. We should give it to her, rather than moan that things aren’t happening when in reality we fail to provide that support.

  58. Narrow Shoulders
    October 3, 2022

    You can not import (relative) poverty to make a country prosperous.

    Unfortunately importing educated but low skilled labour is easier for the establishment than introducing discipline and standards into education (including vocational subjects) and reforming the benefits system.

Comments are closed.