Misrepresentation of Immigration in the UK...

[shaykh1985]

Nice article this...

Leading article: A shameful spinning of the facts on immigration

In fact, the Government statistics debunk the myth of ‘benefits tourism

Saturday, 21 January 2012
The only really surprising thing about the number of migrants claiming benefits in Britain is that the figure is so low. Even more cheering is that a mere 2 per cent of the claims are illegal. Out of 370,000 recipients, fewer than 7,500 are bogus – hardly more than a distant statistical murmur in the context of the 5.5 million people supported by the state. But if the numbers themselves are not shocking, their misrepresentation both by Government ministers and parts of the media most certainly is.


To be clear, the vast majority of the foreign nationals receiving benefits in Britain are wholly within their rights to do so. More than half are people who have since taken citizenship; almost all have come here legally, worked, paid taxes and are now entitled to support. Listen to the Employment Minister, however, and one could be forgiven for concluding otherwise.

Chris Grayling released his newly crunched numbers to the Daily Telegraph accompanied by an opinion piece portentously stressing that he will check every migrant claimant's entitlement. He denies that giving such prominence to so tiny a problem is scaremongering. It is a matter of credibility, the minister says; he must be able to "look people in the eye" and assure them that they can have confidence in the immigration system.

Mr Grayling should be ashamed of such disingenuousness. Of course the Government should apply statistical rigour to immigration and welfare numbers. Of course it should clamp down on benefit fraud of any kind. But to skew reporting of so proportionately negligible a number for a roar of approval from Britain's overdeveloped anti-immigration lobby is as irresponsible as it is inexcusable.

In fact, Mr Grayling's figures wholly debunk the myth of migrants descending on Britain en masse to milk an overgenerous welfare state. But rather than focus on the more pressing question of the millions of British people claiming benefits – legitimately or not – the minister segues straight to efforts to prevent the very "benefits tourism" his researches reveal as a fallacy. After such a display, it is a wonder he can look anyone in the eye at all.

Neither is Mr Grayling the only member of the Government to be taking an objectionable tone on immigration. David Cameron has talked of "discomfort and disjointedness" in local communities, a dog whistle to the Tory right branded by Vince Cable as risking "inflaming extremism". To little avail. Iain Duncan Smith has called for British businesses to hire British workers (a move which, taken literally, would break European law). Meanwhile, Immigration Minister Damian Green talks up plans to slash net migration, causing anxiety to companies that need to fill jobs that Britons are either unwilling or unable to undertake.

More alarming still is the lack of response from the Opposition. Mr Grayling and Mr Green claim that Labour "should be embarrassed" by the mess it made of immigration. Labour should be more embarrassed not to have been on the radio yesterday morning refuting the Government's erroneous spin. Indeed, the Opposition is woefully undecided on the whole subject of immigration. And the Liberal Democrats are little better. Aside from Mr Cable's single broadside, Nick Clegg's party has been almost entirely silent on the subject.

With the economic outlook darkening, and the issue of immigration rising back up the agenda, such reticence cannot continue. Without decent opposition, the unashamedly xenophobic anti-immigration lobby will lead the debate on its own over-simplified terms. It is up to all who would defend Britain as an open society to stand in their way.

 

[s28]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Whatever politicians say, the world needs more immigration, not less <a href="https://t.co/OM6TzQ45qQ">pic.twitter.com/OM6TzQ45qQ</a></p>— The Economist (@TheEconomist) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheEconomist/status/863332293783539712">13 May 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The brainwashing is working. I was hearing the same arguments about immigration from a well to do Pakistani Brit over the weekend. The vast majority of people will lap up whatever they are fed by the mainstream media.

 

[CricketCartoons]

...

The world needs more immigration yes, but for the poor and less skilled. The rich and/or educated people should stay back and help their countries.

It is shame on the developed world who have been taking away the top population from backwards country to boost their own economy, when they should have taken in the poor to help reduce world poverty.

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Net migration into UK in 2022 revised up to record-breaking figure of 745,000

Net migration hit a record-breaking 745,000 in 2022, according to revised figures from the Office for National Statistics, as its latest numbers showed 672,000 people came to the UK in the 12 months to June 2023.

In its last figures released in May, the ONS said the number for last year was 606,000 - then deemed a record high.

But looking at the numbers again, the organisation now says the actual figure was almost 140,000 higher than first thought, making it an even more unparalleled statistic.

The latest numbers released on Wednesday showed net migration had risen when compared to the 12-month figure up to June 2022, which was 607,000, even though it was lower than the surprise annual stat for last year.

However, the ONS said while today's number represented a drop from that unparalleled number, it was "too early to say if this is the start of a new downward trend", even though it did indicate a slowing of immigration coupled with increasing emigration.

Net migration is calculated by looking at the number of people arriving in the UK when both immigration (people coming to the UK) and emigration (people leaving the UK) are taken into account.

Net migration into UK in 2022 revised up to record-breaking figure of 745,000

Former home secretary Suella Braverman calls the numbers "a slap in the face to the British public" after the Office for National Statistics details the latest numbers.

news.sky.com

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Tougher visa rules for foreign workers - including ban on bringing families and raising minimum salary requirement

A new five-point plan to cut immigration has been announced by the government, which includes banning care workers from bringing over their families and raising the minimum salary for a skilled worker visa.

James Cleverly has come under pressure since becoming home secretary three weeks ago to show he is taking a hard line on immigration.

A new five-point plan to cut immigration has been announced by the government, which includes banning care workers from bringing over their families and raising the minimum salary for a skilled worker visa.

James Cleverly has come under pressure since becoming home secretary three weeks ago to show he is taking a hard line on immigration.

Conservatives are angry about the latest thwarting of the Rwanda deportation scheme in the courts and net migration hitting 745,000 last year.

Today's five-point plan - which is "more robust" than any previous government's stance on migration, according to Mr Cleverly - includes measures on health and care visas, skilled worker visas, family visas, the shortage occupation list and student visas.

The measures are:

• Health and care visas: Overseas care workers will not be able to bring family dependants, to end the "abuse of the health and care visa". Care firms that want to sponsor people for visa applications will need to be regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

• Skilled worker visa minimum salary change: The threshold for an application will rise by nearly 50% from £26,200 to £38,700 - although health and care workers will still be able to earn less before applying for the route.

• Shortage occupation list: The government wants to "scrap cut-price shortage labour from overseas" by reforming the way people working in short-staffed sectors can apply to come to the UK. This will include axing the 20% discount applied to the minimum salary for people looking for a visa for shortage occupations. The types of jobs on the list will also be reviewed and reduced.

• Family visas: The minimum threshold for a family visa will also be raised to £38,700 to "ensure people only bring dependants whom they can support financially". Currently, it stands at the 2012 rate of £18,600.

• Student visas: Following the tightening of who can bring in family members on student visas earlier this year, the government will ask the Migration Advisory Committee to review the graduate route "to prevent abuse and protect the integrity and quality of UK higher education".

Tougher visa rules for foreign workers - including ban on bringing families and raising minimum salary requirement

Home Secretary James Cleverly's plan comes amid Tory anger at the latest thwarting of the Rwanda deportation scheme in the courts and net migration hitting 745,000 last year.

news.sky.com