Knock knock Poland, anybody in?

[Drew]

Has anybody been to Poland recently to check if there's anybody left?

Half of the Erasmus students at my university here are Polish and I swear to god nobody is actually in Poland.

[BDunnell]

Yes, and there were plenty of people. Statistically, they're going back, in fact, having made a bit of money in the UK. All good, I say. They make a contribution to the British economy but haven't deserted their own.

[Drew]

Yes, and there were plenty of people. Statistically, they're going back, in fact, having made a bit of money in the UK. All good, I say. They make a contribution to the British economy but haven't deserted their own.

I'm not having a go at Polish people at all, it's just there are a lot of them far from their country!

Interesting to hear that there are a few going back, any figures?

[maxu05]

I think 1 or 2 are going back to feed the cat :D

[Schultz]

Studying the EU, it seems that most of these people coming from the Eastern block seem to be quite nomadic in that they go where the work is within the EU, and are prepared to seek employment in areas where there are skills shortages, rather than forming the impoverished underclass that some anti-open EU people seem to have warned of.

[gadjo_dilo]

To my knowledge Erasmus is an exchange programme that enables foreign students to study in another country. So in my opinion there's nothing weird to see eastern students in a western university.

Haven't been in Poland recently, neither met a polish these days, but if I take after the situation in my own ( eastern ) country I'm sure Poland is still full of local students.

[leopard]

From people's opinion I think Kubica will stay elsewhere, in Germany, UK or somewhere else :D

[leopard]

I think 1 or 2 are going back to feed the cat :D
No worries, cat is good survivor :D

[Dave B]

It's telling that while the doom-mongers are busy moaning about Britain going down the pan, it's still an attractive country to live and work in. Maybe it's not as bad here as certain parties would have us believe!

[Schultz]

No offence to the Polish here, but comparing your country's society and economy to that of one from the Eastern block is a little degrading.

[gadjo_dilo]

It's telling that while the doom-mongers are busy moaning about Britain going down the pan, it's still an attractive country to live and work in. Maybe it's not as bad here as certain parties would have us believe!


However it's rather bad as long as immigrants can't find anything else to eat than her majesty's swans:
:laugh:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article855857.ece

[gadjo_dilo]

No offence to the Polish here, but comparing your country's society and economy to that of one from the Eastern block is a little degrading.
I'm not polish but I'm from the Eastern block so theoretically I have the right to take offence. :laugh:
So, no offence but isn't it rude to talk like this about countries, economies and societies you don't know much about? :laugh: :laugh:

[leopard]

I'm not polish but I'm from the Eastern block so theoretically I have the right to take offence. :laugh:
So, no offence but isn't it rude to talk like this about countries, economies and societies you don't know much about? :laugh: :laugh:

Btw, have you won a lottery? :laugh:

[gadjo_dilo]

Btw, have you won a lottery? :laugh:

No. There are thousands other reasons to be joyful. ( I was about to write to be gay :laugh: :laugh: ).

[leopard]

Yay yay Gay :lips: :laugh:

[veeten]

No. There are thousands other reasons to be joyful. ( I was about to write to be gay :laugh: :laugh: ).

Reasons to be Cheerful, Part III. ;) :D

[MrJan]

A bit of Buddy Holly :D

[BDunnell]

However it's rather bad as long as immigrants can't find anything else to eat than her majesty's swans:
:laugh:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article855857.ece

:laugh:

One of my favourite tabloid stories ever!

[BDunnell]

Studying the EU, it seems that most of these people coming from the Eastern block seem to be quite nomadic in that they go where the work is within the EU, and are prepared to seek employment in areas where there are skills shortages, rather than forming the impoverished underclass that some anti-open EU people seem to have warned of.

Exactly. The performance of Polish kids in English schools is often excellent, too.

[BDunnell]

It's telling that while the doom-mongers are busy moaning about Britain going down the pan, it's still an attractive country to live and work in. Maybe it's not as bad here as certain parties would have us believe!

Doom-mongers, let's not forget, who largely tend to support free-market economic policies — policies under which migration from one country to another in search of more money is something to be encouraged.

[Dave B]

I had a straight-faced conversation a few months ago with a chap who was on the brink of leaving the UK (for Spain) becuase of all the immigrants into this country. He totally failed to see the irony...

[gadjo_dilo]

I had a straight-faced conversation a few months ago with a chap who was on the brink of leaving the UK (for Spain) becuase of all the immigrants into this country. He totally failed to see the irony...
In fact the irony is that he'll exchange the "hell" of polish immigrants for a romanian one. :laugh:

[Captain VXR]

I'm nearly half Polish and most of my Polish relatives are still there, maybe they're the only people left???

[BDunnell]

I had a straight-faced conversation a few months ago with a chap who was on the brink of leaving the UK (for Spain) becuase of all the immigrants into this country. He totally failed to see the irony...

Straight-faced on his part, at least!

Of course, British migration 'doesn't count'...

[MrJan]

Of course not. We had the Empire dammit and we have the right to other people's countries. I'll be damned if Johnny Foreigner has the same rights us those of us born and bred in good old Blighty ;) :p :

[Dave B]

Of course, British migration 'doesn't count'...
Of course! We're not immigrants, perish the thought Fawlty. Dirty filth. We're ex-pats. Noble breed. Short for "patriotic", don't you know? :p

[Daniel]

Of course! We're not immigrants, perish the thought Fawlty. Dirty filth. We're ex-pats. Noble breed. Short for "patriotic", don't you know? :p
So true. Next they'll be on grand designs complaining about how their lazy and shiftless builders don't turn up on time and don't work how they want them to work.

I love it how it was The Sun that called in the Police and RSPCA. Did these people who were horrified not think to call anyone? :mark:

My favourite story was when they had the sister of one of the 7/7 bombers as their page 3 girl. Surreal didn't half describe it.

[Dave B]

My favourite story was when they had the sister of one of the 7/7 bombers as their page 3 girl. Surreal didn't half describe it.
I missed that one! I've got a mental picture of a woman in a full-length hijab with a cheesy caption like "Fatima, 18, has a blast". :s

[Dave B]

Just another insight into the mental process of the guy I was talking to:

I met him in a hospital waiting room, where he was moaning loudly to anybody who would listen about how terrible the NHS is. He compared this to his beloved Spain where he'd recently been treated, free of charge, as an emergency patient and had a fantastic experience. He then complained that last time he was in a British hospital there was "one of them Muslims" in the next bed. I asked him whether the Muslim could have perhaps been a British taxpayer but that was apparently irrelevant.

Again, not a trace of him understanding the irony.

[BDunnell]

Of course! We're not immigrants, perish the thought Fawlty. Dirty filth. We're ex-pats. Noble breed. Short for "patriotic", don't you know? :p

:laugh:

Yeah. Language learning and immersing oneself in the local culture aren't for the likes of us. We don't need to even meet those foreign johnnies half-way. We employ them as cleaners — what are they moaning about?

[MrJan]

I love how unemployed people complain that they can't get a job because all the immigrants have taken them. What they seem to glaze over is that the immigrants are doing the crappy cleaning jobs that most unemployed English people refuse to do :laugh:

[Daniel]

:laugh:

Yeah. Language learning and immersing oneself in the local culture aren't for the likes of us. We don't need to even meet those foreign johnnies half-way. We employ them as cleaners — what are they moaning about?
Why should they immerse themselves in local "culture"? They're bringing culture to these places :p

[Garry Walker]

Yes I have been to Poland a few times. Awful mustard they have there, tastes like sugar. Not my favourite country at all.


Yes, and there were plenty of people. Statistically, they're going back, in fact, having made a bit of money in the UK. All good, I say. They make a contribution to the British economy but haven't deserted their own.
1) Actually mostly they won`t go back
2) They cost the UK economy more than they contribute. They just send all the money back to their dear polish relatives.


It's telling that while the doom-mongers are busy moaning about Britain going down the pan, it's still an attractive country to live and work in. Maybe it's not as bad here as certain parties would have us believe!
If you give a person who has been starving for ages a bar of chocolate which has been dropped in dog ****, he will likely eat it.


I love how unemployed people complain that they can't get a job because all the immigrants have taken them. What they seem to glaze over is that the immigrants are doing the crappy cleaning jobs that most unemployed English people refuse to do :laugh:

If you took away their benefits, which should be done, then they would have no option but to work. Or starve.

[MrJan]

And fighting out of the blue corner..... :laugh:

[Drew]

Just another insight into the mental process of the guy I was talking to:

I met him in a hospital waiting room, where he was moaning loudly to anybody who would listen about how terrible the NHS is. He compared this to his beloved Spain where he'd recently been treated, free of charge, as an emergency patient and had a fantastic experience. He then complained that last time he was in a British hospital there was "one of them Muslims" in the next bed. I asked him whether the Muslim could have perhaps been a British taxpayer but that was apparently irrelevant.

Again, not a trace of him understanding the irony.

Brilliant, I so want to meet this guy, he sounds hilarious, a muppet but hilarious. I have to say at home, I don't meet many Daily Mail readers,

Gadjo, you're right Erasmus is a EU wide university exchange system. I'm just surprised there are so many Polish people here because most of them don't speak a word of Spanish :)

[Garry Walker]

Brilliant, I so want to meet this guy, he sounds hilarious, a muppet but hilarious. I have to say at home, I don't meet many Daily Mail readers
What?
You admit that you live amongst idiots :D ?

Brave confession!

[Drew]

What?
You admit that you live amongst idiots :D ?

Brave confession!

I'll admit my little sister is an idiot ;)

When I say at home, I mean in the UK :p :

[Daniel]

Yes I have been to Poland a few times. Awful mustard they have there, tastes like sugar. Not my favourite country at all.

1) Actually mostly they won`t go back
2) They cost the UK economy more than they contribute. They just send all the money back to their dear polish relatives.

If you give a person who has been starving for ages a bar of chocolate which has been dropped in dog ****, he will likely eat it.

You know sometimes people just like a change in their life and a different life experience. I moved to the UK from Australia, my parents moved from South Africa to Australia, my brother lived in South Africa and then moved to the UK and his girlfriend moved from Poland and now lives in London. People move around. It's a fact of life and I think it's very silly of you to tar everyone with the same brush. At some point in the past your family migrated. I hope back then they didn't have to deal with unintelligent and shortsighted people like yourself. It's a real shame to see a person who doesn't respect someone's right to make a better life for themselves within the law.

[Garry Walker]

You know sometimes people just like a change in their life and a different life experience. I moved to the UK from Australia, my parents moved from South Africa to Australia, my brother lived in South Africa and then moved to the UK and his girlfriend moved from Poland and now lives in London.
People move around. It's a fact of life and I think it's very silly of you to tar everyone with the same brush.
When did I do that or advocate no-movement at all?
But the huge amount of immigration that is happening now is nonsense, there should be strict caps and rules. What is happening currently is crazy.



At some point in the past your family migrated. Yes. Around 10000 years ago I believe.



I hope back then they didn't have to deal with unintelligent and shortsighted people like yourself.
Unintelligent :rotflmao: That is really funny coming from someone like you.

Shortsighted? I would say the complete opposite. I can see the problems that the huge amount of immigration brings with it.

[Daniel]

When did I do that or advocate no-movement at all?
But the huge amount of immigration that is happening now is nonsense, there should be strict caps and rules. What is happening currently is crazy.

Yes. Around 10000 years ago I believe.


Unintelligent :rotflmao: That is really funny coming from someone like you.

Shortsighted? I would say the complete opposite. I can see the problems that the huge amount of immigration brings with it.

*sigh*

I wish I could just not have any actually proper arguments behind my posts and just say "I know you are but what am I" like you do :)

[Garry Walker]

*sigh*

I wish I could just not have any actually proper arguments behind my posts and just say "I know you are but what am I" like you do :)

You actually don`t have any arguments, not here nor in the other thread.

[MrJan]

*sigh*

I wish I could just not have any actually proper arguments behind my posts and just say "I know you are but what am I" like you do :)

Aah but you can't cos....cos....ummm. you smell :p : ;) :laugh:

[Daniel]

Aah but you can't cos....cos....ummm. you smell :p : ;) :laugh:

Yeah so what. Your mum smells worse!

[MrJan]

OOOH.I'm telling her you said that, then you'll be in trouble cos my Dad's bigger than your Dad.

[BDunnell]

1) Actually mostly they won`t go back
2) They cost the UK economy more than they contribute. They just send all the money back to their dear polish relatives.

How about some figures from an impartial source, my dear?

[BDunnell]

Unintelligent :rotflmao: That is really funny coming from someone like you.


Am I alone in thinking that someone's anger management problem is coming to the fore again? I suggest an intervention.

[Garry Walker]

How about some figures from an impartial source, my dear?
I have posted relevant figures before, do a search and you will find them, my dear.


Am I alone in thinking that someone's anger management problem is coming to the fore again? I suggest an intervention. I agree.
Daniel needs to understand that just going and insulting people is not okay :D

[Malbec]

Oh dear, the usual anti-migration trash based on myth and rumour.

Garry, for someone who claims to be right wing your grip on free market economics is a little tenuous. Free migration is one of the key requirements of a totally free economy to meet local labour demands.

Letting skilled migrants into the country helps keep our workers on their toes and our economy competitive.

Here are a couple of articles you may want to read. The Economist may not be your cup of tea but I believe they've got quite a good grip on the actual cost of immigration.

http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=894664&story_id=10430282

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10286197&CFID=10991704&CFTOKEN=b9202dc0260c2328-6FC22EAD-B27C-BB00-012B090F8D16AA63

[BDunnell]

Garry, for someone who claims to be right wing your grip on free market economics is a little tenuous.

This is so often the way in this 'debate'. Migration of this type is a natural effect of right-wing free market policies.

By the way, I would add that it's telling that no-one objects to Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans coming to leave in the UK in quite significant numbers, which happens for exactly the same reasons.

[Malbec]

What irritates me about the whole migration debate is that some of the arguments used are so obviously total nonsense that people who espouse those views ought to be insulted.

I've said before but this whole 'migrants bring the NHS to its knees' argument is so facile and so obviously untrue that I still wonder why anyone actually believes it.

Anyone who has an interest in property will know the contribution immigrants have made to the property boom in the UK, slashing the cost of renovating or building property and making the whole process of trading property more profitable for the mainly British landowners.

There are huge sectors of industry such as agriculture, catering and the hotel trade that are utterly dependent on migrants.

It is a mark of the strength of the British economy that people actually want to come here to work. An Italian friend of mine put it rather simply. "Italy doesn't have a problem with migration because the country is so **** noone wants to come here." Quite.

[Garry Walker]

Oh dear, the usual anti-migration trash based on myth and rumour. LOL



Garry, for someone who claims to be right wing your grip on free market economics is a little tenuous. Free migration is one of the key requirements of a totally free economy to meet local labour demands.
Yes, oh mr ph.d in economics.



Letting skilled migrants into the country helps keep our workers on their toes and our economy competitive.Where have I said I completely oppose immigration? Nowhere. For a ph.d in economics, your reading comprehension is rather bad.
Now what I have said is that immigration needs a clear cap and highly skilled intelligent workers should be concentrated on.
There are more than enough people in our countries to do the "low-paying" jobs, especially if we motivate them enough for it (enough of the benefits).
And what happens when the huge amount of immigrants some countries have grow old? Shall we just keep "importing" immigrants? Is that what you call "sustainable development" :D

There are also many social issues with immigration that shouldn`t be ignored.

I have heard quite many brits are leaving UK, why are they doing that? Governments should concentrate on that problem.


Here are a couple of articles you may want to read. The Economist may not be your cup of tea but I believe they've got quite a good grip on the actual cost of immigration.

http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=894664&story_id=10430282

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10286197&CFID=10991704&CFTOKEN=b9202dc0260c2328-6FC22EAD-B27C-BB00-012B090F8D16AA63

Again, they concentrate only on the "positives" and completely ignore the costs. How typical.
I have read credible reports that immigrants whilst bringing quite a few billions to the UK economy, cost an even larger amount by 2.x billion quid, if I remember correctly the sum.

[BDunnell]

I have heard quite many brits are leaving UK, why are they doing that? Governments should concentrate on that problem.

Why? It's their free choice to do so.

I would actually like to live overseas at some point, but not because of any perceived failings in relation to the UK. Not everybody ups sticks because they have grown to dislike it here.

[BDunnell]

Where have I said I completely oppose immigration? Nowhere. For a ph.d in economics, your reading comprehension is rather bad.

Does every contribution from your good self have to level a personal insult like this at those with whom you disagree?

[Garry Walker]

What irritates me about the whole migration debate is that some of the arguments used are so obviously total nonsense that people who espouse those views ought to be insulted.

I've said before but this whole 'migrants bring the NHS to its knees' argument is so facile and so obviously untrue that I still wonder why anyone actually believes it.
LOL.



Anyone who has an interest in property will know the contribution immigrants have made to the property boom in the UK, Yes, because property boom is always such a good thing for everyone (well, for someone in my line of business it is :D ). People with 30 year old mortgages and people with no possibility of getting their own place of living. How wonderful.



It is a mark of the strength of the British economy that people actually want to come here to work. An Italian friend of mine put it rather simply. "Italy doesn't have a problem with migration because the country is so **** noone wants to come here." Quite.The situation in UK is not so bright at all.

[Garry Walker]

Why? It's their free choice to do so.

I would actually like to live overseas at some point, but not because of any perceived failings in relation to the UK. Not everybody ups sticks because they have grown to dislike it here.

Of course it is their free choice, but many simply have had enough. Why is that so? The government should try to work that out.

Now, I am not from UK, but we have something similar here.


Does every contribution from your good self have to level a personal insult like this at those with whom you disagree?

Did you manage to miss the insults he directed at me in his post? Why aren`t you directing your anger towards him?

What about your reference to me earlier about having "anger management problems?"

[Daniel]

We need to come up with a new way of describing someone's political views when they're grumpy and don't like immigrants because "right wing" doesn't do it justice.

[Malbec]

Where have I said I completely oppose immigration? Nowhere. For a ph.d in economics, your reading comprehension is rather bad.
Now what I have said is that immigration needs a clear cap and highly skilled intelligent workers should be concentrated on.
There are more than enough people in our countries to do the "low-paying" jobs, especially if we motivate them enough for it (enough of the benefits).
And what happens when the huge amount of immigrants some countries have grow old? Shall we just keep "importing" immigrants? Is that what you call "sustainable development" :D

There are also many social issues with immigration that shouldn`t be ignored.

I have heard quite many brits are leaving UK, why are they doing that? Governments should concentrate on that problem.

Again, they concentrate only on the "positives" and completely ignore the costs. How typical.
I have read credible reports that immigrants whilst bringing quite a few billions to the UK economy, cost an even larger amount by 2.x billion quid, if I remember correctly the sum.

What are those costs you speak of Garry, lets have a breakdown. Or is that conveniently not possible?

How much CAN they cost the economy? Immigrants aren't allowed access to the kind of generous benefits unemployed layabouts on council estates with British passports enjoy. Young fit migrants don't cost the NHS anywhere near as much as elderly British pensioners breaking hips and getting cancer.

I totally agree that the benefit system needs to be reworked to get people back to work but that hasn't happened despite two to three decades of tinkering.

Its the low skilled workers who benefit the economy as well as the highly skilled migrants. The industries I named that depend on migrants don't require highly skilled people. Cut such migration if you wish but don't complain when the cost of food or building work goes up.

Going back to the net flow of migrants Garry its basic economics again. As Poland develops and catches up with the UK there is less and less incentive for Poles to come work here. We've already seen a drop in migrants from Poland and over the next few years there will be a net flow back there.

As India's economy developed over the past two decades we've seen immigration from that country drop steadily and significantly. Now a rising number of second and third generation Indian migrants are choosing to return to their homeland. If India develops to have an overall quality of life better than Britain we'll see a net flow of Brits out to that country just like we already have with the US and Canada.

Its quite amusing to see Brits who as a country has exported more people to other parts of the world than any other complain about a mere couple of million migrants over the last decade!

[Garry Walker]

What are those costs you speak of Garry, lets have a breakdown. Or is that conveniently not possible?

How much CAN they cost the economy? Immigrants aren't allowed access to the kind of generous benefits unemployed layabouts on council estates with British passports enjoy. Young fit migrants don't cost the NHS anywhere near as much as elderly British pensioners breaking hips and getting cancer.

I totally agree that the benefit system needs to be reworked to get people back to work but that hasn't happened despite two to three decades of tinkering.

Its the low skilled workers who benefit the economy as well as the highly skilled migrants. The industries I named that depend on migrants don't require highly skilled people. Cut such migration if you wish but don't complain when the cost of food or building work goes up.

Going back to the net flow of migrants Garry its basic economics again. As Poland develops and catches up with the UK there is less and less incentive for Poles to come work here. We've already seen a drop in migrants from Poland and over the next few years there will be a net flow back there.

As India's economy developed over the past two decades we've seen immigration from that country drop steadily and significantly. Now a rising number of second and third generation Indian migrants are choosing to return to their homeland. If India develops to have an overall quality of life better than Britain we'll see a net flow of Brits out to that country just like we already have with the US and Canada.

Its quite amusing to see Brits who as a country has exported more people to other parts of the world than any other complain about a mere couple of million migrants over the last decade!

Now I will reply to that post at my earliest inconvinience, and break down the costs of immigration, but I have to get ready to go to the threatre with my other half, so you will just have to wait :D

[Malbec]

We need to come up with a new way of describing someone's political views when they're grumpy and don't like immigrants because "right wing" doesn't do it justice.

Quite right, its offensive to real right wingers

[Daniel]

I would actually like to live overseas at some point, but not because of any perceived failings in relation to the UK. Not everybody ups sticks because they have grown to dislike it here.

Yes. I listed plenty of reasons to move previously rather than hating where you live now. Sometimes it's nice to experience a different culture.

[MrJan]

LOL.

Yes, because property boom is always such a good thing for everyone (well, for someone in my line of business it is :D ). People with 30 year old mortgages and people with no possibility of getting their own place of living. How wonderful.

The situation in UK is not so bright at all.

But in the area of the UK that I live it isn't the immigrants driving up the house prices it's the posh towny bas****s that enjoy having a second home in the South West. A perfect example is the little old lady in Newquay who has a whole block of apartments to herself for most of the year because all the other flats are second homes to the owners. Far from being the poor migrants causing problems it's the rich English people messing up things for me.

[BDunnell]

But in the area of the UK that I live it isn't the immigrants driving up the house prices it's the posh towny bas****s that enjoy having a second home in the South West. A perfect example is the little old lady in Newquay who has a whole block of apartments to herself for most of the year because all the other flats are second homes to the owners. Far from being the poor migrants causing problems it's the rich English people messing up things for me.

And, again, this is something that is absolutely fine according to traditional right-wing policies of market forces.

[Drew]

But in the area of the UK that I live it isn't the immigrants driving up the house prices it's the posh towny bas****s that enjoy having a second home in the South West. A perfect example is the little old lady in Newquay who has a whole block of apartments to herself for most of the year because all the other flats are second homes to the owners. Far from being the poor migrants causing problems it's the rich English people messing up things for me.

Isn't it a shame we don't live in a complete sh**hole haha.

[MrJan]

Isn't it a shame we don't live in a complete sh**hole haha.

I thought you were from Plymouth though. The term sh**hole was coined specifically for the concrete monstrosity in East Cornwall ;) :D :p :

[Drew]

Altrincham, didn't they beat Chelsea 5-0 last week? ;)

[MrJan]

Altrincham, didn't they beat Chelsea 5-0 last week? ;)

No but they did hold Torquay to a 1-1 draw :laugh: Also WBA lost 2-1 to Hull City which must have been embaressing, only 2 goals against West Brom, Hull fans must have been gutted :cheese:

[gadjo_dilo]

It is a mark of the strength of the British economy that people actually want to come here to work. .
The strength of British economy was posible because it was the biggest colonial empire. In these circumstances the complaints about imigrants are simply pathetic.

An Italian friend of mine put it rather simply. "Italy doesn't have a problem with migration because the country is so **** noone wants to come here." Quite.
Your italian friend was either joking or living a hermit life. :laugh:

[Rudy Tamasz]

And, again, this is something that is absolutely fine according to traditional right-wing policies of market forces.

There's nothing wrong with that. If you can afford a house, you can. If not, work harder. As simple as this.

In my deeply leftist country, the gov't tried to force the construction companies sell half of what they build at 'social' prices to low-income people. As a result the construction stopped altogether because nobody wanted to lose profit. The offer shrank and the prices skyrocketed. Guess who was hit hardest? Now they are trying to fix it again with non-market methods. Good luck, I say.

[Malbec]

The strength of British economy was posible because it was the biggest colonial empire. In these circumstances the complaints about imigrants are simply pathetic.

Its debatable whether the British economy actually made a profit from running the Empire. The cost of maintaining the world's largest navy and a huge army ready to deploy across the world was quite considerable, as was the cost of investing in infrastructure across the Empire. The benefit through increased trade wasn't enough to compensate for that huge investment.

Anyway regardless of the legacy of the British Empire, the British economy was bankrupted three times in the 20th century, once after WW1, once after WW2 (Britain has only just finished paying off its debt to the US from WW2) and once during the 70s after massive mismanagement lead to the British government having to go to the IMF for money. All those events wiped out any possible financial benefit

The current success of the British economy is largely due to the reforms made in the 80s and the economic boom afterwards.

Having said that I agree with you, Britain is probably the world's largest net exporter of people in relation to its population. A significant proportion of the American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand populations are British in origin. I once read a statistic that over 50 million Brits have emigrated over the past three centuries, it seems a little hypocritical for people to then complain about 1 or 2 million odd migrants.

[Malbec]

There's nothing wrong with that. If you can afford a house, you can. If not, work harder. As simple as this.

Exactly, and don't complain if the people who can afford to buy that property aren't necessarily from your part of the world, after all there's nothing stopping you from moving to a place with a cheaper cost of living either.

[Azumanga Davo]

Anyway regardless of the legacy of the British Empire, the British economy was bankrupted three times in the 20th century, once after WW1, once after WW2 (Britain has only just finished paying off its debt to the US from WW2)

Bit cheeky. We should have done the British thing and charged them a late entry fee for them two. ;)

[gadjo_dilo]

Exactly, and don't complain if the people who can afford to buy that property aren't necessarily from your part of the world, after all there's nothing stopping you from moving to a place with a cheaper cost of living either.

I don't think life is cheaper in the western states. They move to the west because in their states the salaries are quite low and on the other hand it's hard to find a job.

[Malbec]

I don't think life is cheaper in the western states. They move to the west because in their states the salaries are quite low and on the other hand it's hard to find a job.

That wasn't quite what I meant, there is nothing stopping someone in a poor part of the UK moving to another country where they can afford a house and live a better quality of life either, in fact many people used to go to Spain or Greece just for that reason.