MIGRANTS AND IMMIGRANTS - NET BENEFIT OR NOT IS IMMATERIAL

Recent "academic research" shows that Migrants are of net benefit to the UK economy?

Not wishing to be too disrespectful to these academics it's absolutely clear to anyone that migration at existing levels is unacceptable to long-standing UK residents.  Whether or not migration and immigration has a net benefit is therefore of little relevance.
Likewise waking up to a brand new double-decker bus on the drive would be horrifying, irritating, and bring on the urge to get rid of it as soon as possible -if it's not what you want. The difference of course is that the bus is definitely valuable and the migrants might not be (depending upon the particular bit of "research" cited).

With hard-core Immigrants there's even more to consider. Especially how many of the illegal variety have so far "slipped" into the UK? No one over there seems to have the slightest idea!! 

Judging by my last UK sortie (and I accept it is a perception only marginally more accurate than much academic "research") there is a marked change from even just ten years ago. Boston, Spalding, Wolverhampton, London, Manchester, Rhyl, Torquay, Ambleside, Newquay, Brighton, Dover, Southampton, Crewe, Chelmsford, Clacton, .......the list goes on and on and on. If you  visit these places be prepared to be amazed at the number of people overheard in the street not speaking English. The impression - often because of their surreptitious behaviour - is that many might have entered the UK illegally. Is it time to wonder what is the actual population of the UK taking into account the Illegals? Judging the density of population by road congestion ( why not ? ) the UK is already full to overflowing!

Note also the apparent growing community of wandering illegal immigrants (can you believe that even they claim benefit?). Many will be sleeping "rough", squatting, and probably adding to the UK's unsolved crime statistics? 

Even if it was relevant, would research show that these fellows too are of net benefit to the UK?  How long will it take UK political parties to wake up? When will they realise that huge numbers of their Citizens have had enough and are hungry for change?

How long before the UK bucks up? When will it recognises its time for:

1. Properly controlled immigration - including control of migration to UK from EU countries; and

2. a concerted effort to identify illegal immigrants and deal with them helpfully. If possible expel  them otherwise isolate them to the extent they modify their domiciliary aspirations.

Can any of this be achieved while UK remains part of the EU? 

SMITHERS !! HEADMASTER'S STUDY - NOW!

LibLabCon, as UKIP call them, appear to be in complete disarray.  Taking them one at a time this is how it looks from here.

Once reasonably supported, Liberals have disappeared near completely from favour. Whatever support they once had appears to have dissolved without so much as a bubble!  No sign whatsoever of any fizz. A half-empty glass of weak lemonade? 

Kindly, inoffensive, politicaly correct, and non-judgemental. These are Liberal strengths. Without exception they might make wonderful Samaritan Counsellors. But deal effectively with the threat of ISIS? So often their approach appears namby pamby when strength is required. They preach a sort of Andy Pandy politics. Bless them. 

Called to the Headmaster's study there might be some tears of regret following a polite submission - even if they'd done nothing wrong. I wonder, could the intensity of today's world be rather too much for them?  

Today's Labour Party?  The working man's party?  Has a leader with supposed close links to the UK trade union movement. And yet it's probably still a party politically to the right of  Edward Heath's Conservative government of 1970 -1974! Is it any wonder traditional Labour voters at last finding their voices, courageously question the  real motives of their fathers' and mothers' political heroes? 

Whatever they might say publicly, Labour politicians have given the impression of bobbing along in a sort of protective bubble. Perhaps it's a bubble grown out of an unspoken and impenetrable cross-party fraternity encouraged by an elite educational background? Or perhaps it's just the knowledge, or the hope, that LibLabCon will protect themselves before they protect their supporters.  Take, for example, the closing of ranks when issues arose concerning Politicians' expenses. Labour voters never dreamed their representatives would get involved in such a thing! But of course they could quite believe it of Conservatives and Liberals! Was this when the Labour Party confirmed suspicions it no longer deserved trust? 

Ed Milliband appears to have done his best to restore that trust but it's an uphill struggle not helped by his personal standing in the popularity stakes. And how much longer will it take before he recognises that a majority of Brits appear to want out of the European Union?

Called to the Headmaster's study Labour would certainly put up a fight. Of course Ed should really take some notes to remind him why he'd done nothing wrong.  In fact, lad, you might not do better than send in John Prescott - with or without notes I'd back him any day when it comes to a punch-up.

The Tories. What can I say?  David Cameron the not-so-Conservative Prime Minister. Head of a failed Coalition. Allowing the Andy Pandy Party to influence his decisions on a needs-must basis. It's his only excuse for what comes over as clouded softly softly judgement. Along with Labour his party no longer commands the trust it once had. For example his promise to hold a Referendum on Europe - in or out - is hollow. Few believe the Conservative Party would take the U.K. out of Europe even if a Referendum required.

Called to the Headmaster's study Dave would no doubt send in a substitute; any substitute. Most likely, of course, it would be poor old Cleggy (after all he understands the "Smithers" world) armed with a carefully drafted "confession" and a plea in mitigation.  Meanwhile Dave's on the phone to a few old school friends hoping to sort things out - well at least on a personal level?

Leaving the best to last I read today about the huge leap in success of the UK Independence Party.  From here it seems the success is due quite simply to UKIP being many of the things LibLabCon are not. 

To be honest, open, frank, courageous, and forthright, as a politician used to court political suicide. Economy with the truth was almost admired! But the British Public, looking for political change for the better, seem attracted to this new quite open and honest approach. It is a dangerous time for UKIP.  

LibLabCon and parts of the British Establishment appear to be nervous of a change in the political balance, and may do something about it,  Much of this Establishment concern has been not because of self-preservation (although surely some has been) but because of a genuine concern that as a new political party any UKIP Members of Parliament would lack the breadth and depth of experience to contribute to government. Given the defection of Douglas Carswell to UKIP and the strong possibility of many other defectors from the Conservative and Labour parties - and maybe even defection attempts by Liberals closer to the courageous end of the scale - such arguments no longer hold good. UKIP is on the up and up and LibLabCon should treat the competition very seriously. Just look at how close John Bickley (UKIP) came to taking the so-called "safe" Labour seat of Heywood and Middleton.

And so now can we imagine the call of Nigel Farage to the Headmasters study? No doubt, keeping the Head informed, he would go when it was sensible to go and not before. He would know he'd screwed up a bit and was probably down for a good smacking! A knock on the door and wait to be called. Maybe time for a quick ciggie? We're on. Discussion over a cup of tea - O.K. maybe something a bit stronger. 

"O.K. I'll come clean. I might have screwed up a bit. Apologies. But just look at the up-side!" 

And with no more than a slapped hand he would depart the Head's study with yet another UKIP member. Honest, open, frank, courageous, forthright and himself. People respect that.

SCOTLAND TO BE CAST ADRIFT ? ALLIES IN THE ENEMY CAMP, ALEX ??

So we'll soon know how the land lies?

I've recently spoken to a variety of non-Scots from all walks of life and surprisingly a common theme emerges. Few really seem to care what happens. But I do. I hope all my Scots friends, and a majority of Scots, prefer to remain part of the United Kingdom rather than to cast Scotland adrift.

Alex Salmond attaches huge financial importance to the Scots supply of North Sea Oil and rightly so. But it would be catastrophically wrong to think that the rest of the U.K. would be  much disadvantaged, financially or otherwise, by loss of direct access to that once valuable crude.  Some say the Salmond Scots are making plans for refineries and chemical plants to process their crude rather than rely upon existing plants elsewhere in the U.K - but given the lack of available post- independence finance I wouldn't hold your breath! The loss of crude income is nothing in the overall scale of things U.K. 

On a different tack there's lots of public reasons why non-Scot U.K. politicians would prefer to see Scotland vote "no."  But talk to these politicians privately and you might detect a quite different agenda. Might they actually see the potential U.K. loss of a participant Scotland as rather desirable? Allies in the enemy camp, Alex?  

The U.K., including Scotland, currently benefits hugely from invisible exports, and from being one of the major financial centres of the World. In significant volume these exports don't arise north of the England-Scotland border; Scotland is not a strong financial centre in World terms. Of course Alex Salmond and his enthusiastic cohorts would love Scots to believe otherwise. But worse still Scotland is unfortunately seen by many as an inconvenient net drain on the current U.K. economy. Imagine; could the majority of U.K. politicians privately recognise this perception?  Might they also recognise that at grass roots level, maybe right, maybe wrong, many non-Scots have also long considered Scotland to be a financial drain on the rest of the U.K. believing it to have lived well beyond its means for years? The rest of the U.K. no longer perceives a majority of Scots as well-educated, hard-working, well-motivated and sober. Quite the opposite I fear. 

But when all is said and done, these perceptions, right or wrong, are irrelevant. Quite simply it boils down to this. Does Scotland in fact derive net benefit from the U.K. economy or not? 

Think about it. Look at the visible and invisible earnings in Scotland and compare them with the rest of the U.K;  then look at who spends what!  It's not rocket science !! Maybe that's why most of the non-Scottish bit of the U.K. is indifferent to the outcome of the Referendum? On the whole, economically, they really don't care if Scotland casts itself adrift. What a shame.

    

BEWARE BEYOND THE REFERENDUM

The recent Euro election has shaken the old U.K. political parties to their roots. The #liberals are comatose, new #labour is wobbling, and the #conservatives are looking to Boris for comfort.

When the majority voted #UKIP in this Euro election, what else could it have been but a clear vote to get out of Europe?  What better #Referendum could you have?  

But, Cameron is happy to interpret the result as simply a need to renegotiate with Brussels! He just doesn't seem to get it !  The people don't want a renegotiation, Dave; THEY WANT OUT!

Keeping his promise to hold an In-Out referendum Cameron will do so facing the inevitability  of an "Out" result. Some unfortunate fellow is probably drafting the speech right now.....

" The people have spoken. They've made their views known. They want to get out of the European Union. And I respect their view.  My renegotiation with Brussels was not sufficient to convince the electorate.  I'm not too proud to say I have failed " ...( like hell )... "I give you my pledge; I will enter into further negotiations.  I will get a better deal for the U.K.  And then I will put that deal to the public in a Referendum so they can say whether, on the basis of that renegotiation, they would prefer to stay in or out of the European Union. " In other words back to square one, and then off again in an endless loop hoping that one day the result will be in his favour.

In case you missed it, Dave "PEOPLE DON'T WANT A RENEGOTIATION THEY WANT OUT!!"  That is why, in droves, people voted for UKIP in the Euro elections. 

 And so my message from abroad to all #Eurosceptics, and to #UKIP, and to the man on the street, is simply this: "Beware!".  The only way to get out of the #E.U., the only sure way to take back control of your country, is to work for a UKIP majority in the U.K. parliament.  Your vote for UKIP at a General Election is a powerful force towards that end. 

TELL THE TRUTH, SMITHERS...........

Watching what's happening in UK from over here in USA  I see political parties lining up in readiness for the European elections; I smell burning!

What used to be the three main parties are in somewhat of a blind panic. Liberal, Labour, and Conservative parties have stopped talking to their potential voters about what really matters and started slinging mud like it's going out of fashion. Interestingly the mud's going all in one direction - that is towards their formidable new opponent UKIP.  Quite simply, UKIP is the party that wants the UK out of Europe; and by all accounts the sooner the better!

Given the alleged inextricable involvement of many opposition and government members of the UK Parliament in European ventures - some political, some commercial, and some personal, it's no wonder that the mud slinging has commenced; no doubt it won't be long before the fur begins to fly!!

Meanwhile UKIP continues to talk about policies, and to argue in favour of reclaiming UK self-governance. Notwithstanding relentless smears it maintains the moral high-ground and continues to respond openly and honestly when under attack in the political arena. This "man in the street honesty", and the resultant vulnerability, is what sets UKIP apart from political dinosaurs in the liberal, labour, and conservative parties.

The man in the street has a growing and continuing respect for this fresh attitude, this open and honest approach. No surprise then why, and in droves, people continue to desert their traditional party to support UKIP.

"Tell the truth, Smithers; own up and take the consequences, lad." Surprisingly old-school politicians from liberal, labour and conservative parties appear blind to such real-life honesty. Not so UKIP politicians who are taking the UK political scene by storm. 

European elections? Watch this space !!