Do you want to discuss boring politics? (11 Viewers)

[TomRad85]

Weirdly, this has not been covered in this thread, but it is pretty interesting given the upset regarding Palestine Action. There are also some videos floating around of this counter protest and lots of people in masks. One clip from a poor guy trying to offer his support really is awkward:

UKIP banned from protesting in Tower Hamlets over disorder fears

Police say any UKIP members assembling in the area, which has a high Muslim population, face arrest.

www.bbc.com

Incredible really. It's almost too perfect isn't it. The idiot still won't get it though.

 

---

[Brighton Sky Blue]

The government needs to find other ways to resolve issues in the long term. Being flexible with wage thresholds for some sectors with shortages is rational as a temporary measure. That isn’t happening in the UK, in some cases (like the NHS), it’s created a dependency on imported labour by not having any medium to long term planning.

Take social care, there’s a huge level of staff turnover in that industry and once you admit entry to people, it’s a laborious and costly task removing them if they’re in violation of their visa conditions. With this visa route specifically in mind, the numbers do not add up and there is fraud and thousands of people living in the UK in violation of their visa conditions.

On a broader scale, the purpose of an immigration system to be selective of desirable characteristics, to be clear, net tax contributors. If people are going to be in low income work, get ILR after 5 years (and eligible for welfare) and be eligible a UK pension, that isn’t desirable for the UK taxpayer.

Following on my reply to Fernando, the receipts to ‘foreign-born’ households has nearly doubled from 2022 and this is without the ‘Boriswave’ migrants, yet to receive ILR.

It's just that the government will talk freely about energy insecurity stemming from importing too much of our energy from abroad, food insecurity from relying on food imports and so on, but not an insecurity of labour stemming from relying on both skilled and unskilled foreign labour.

We need to move towards a more home-grown workforce.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

It's just that the government will talk freely about energy insecurity stemming from importing too much of our energy from abroad, food insecurity from relying on food imports and so on, but not an insecurity of labour stemming from relying on both skilled and unskilled foreign labour.

We need to move towards a more home-grown workforce.

Exactly! This is a traditional trade unionist position.

I’m uncomfortable that the political left (Labour, Greens and Lib Dem) have ceded ground to the Tories and Reform. The reason for this is because it’s an issue that risks ending up being a political football and any changes Reform/Tory make immediately reversed and vice versa.

It’s an issue that needs a new consensus. The reason I talk about immigration on here more than other issues is because there is common ground to strike between left and right.

On economic stuff, policies can take years before its impacts are revealed.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Exactly! This is a traditional trade unionist position.

I’m uncomfortable that the political left (Labour, Greens and Lib Dem) have ceded ground to the Tories and Reform. The reason for this is because it’s an issue that risks ending up being a political football and any changes Reform/Tory make immediately reversed and vice versa.

It’s an issue that needs a new consensus. The reason I talk about immigration on here more than other issues is because there is common ground to strike between left and right.

On economic stuff, policies can take years before its impacts are revealed.

I personally think there's common ground on the absurdly high cost of living, but that's for another day.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

I personally think there's common ground on the absurdly high cost of living, but that's for another day.

True, but how you actually go about fixing that is complex.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

True, but how you actually go about fixing that is complex.

I agree, but this is why I feel that the likes of Reform have leapt on immigration because it looks like a quick fix and doesn't require much heavy thinking or as difficult a sell to the electorate. Tackling the cost of living is complicated, would take time to manifest itself but would in my view be far more impactful on a typical person.

Just my opinion of course and for a separate discussion.