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More Migrationwatch twaddle

I have never had much time for Andrew Green - the absurd extrapolations of questionable statistics that his "Migration Watch" group publish periodically serve only to get a few scare story headlines rather than actually contributing to the debate on migration.

Since Mayor Boris Johnson- a figure who increasingly impresses me- mused publicly about the idea of an amnesty for illegal immigrants, it was only a matter of time before Green would publish some swivel-eyed nonsense.

The scare story headline was that "legalising" illegals would cost £4 billion. However even before we start, we find that half of this is somehow attributable to the partners and families of illegals- many of whom are actually already legal British tax payers. So even on Mw's numbers, then the cost falls by half to the still eye-popping £2 billion.

Then you look at the assumptions.

Essentially Migration Watch assume that those who are working would not only not pay tax, but would instead become claimants on the state.

As a former civil servant, Sir Andrew knows more than most about being a cost to the British tax payer. However the vast majority of immigrants to the United Kingdom- illegal and legal alike- would regard it as either pointless or a matter of some shame to claim on the State.

As usual, Migration Watch's numbers are simply meaningless scare tactics to promote a xenophobic and unpleasant agenda.

At a time when the population of the UK is actually falling sharply- with Poles returning home, and the foreign high-rollers in the City of London following them out of the door, we will increasingly struggle to compete as further skill shortages emerge.

In such circumstances, the anti-migration lobby may get what they wish for... and then really wish they hadn't.

Comments

Newmania said…
Legalising crooks will encourage more of them I understand Boris wanting to get the numbers staright becaus the fiction of government figures is a great unfunded burden on London.

Had there not been such lies in the first place there would be no need for a migration watch and no need for Boris to go to these lengths just to get fair money.

I am glad you are coming round to Boris though. In his writing and attitudes he is closer to me than any other politician.
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