An exchange on twitter with Chris Dillow whose stumblings and mumblings are always worth a read, raised the issue of immigration and jobs. A familiar subject most usually heard in the "immigrants come here and steal our jobs" kind of argument - or indeed in cries such as "British Jobs for British Workers".
For what it's worth, I take the view that this argument gets its cause and effect in the wrong order. Immigrants come here because there are jobs. Indeed Chris provided a link to an interesting piece explaining how the immigration/jobs link isn't as plain as it is sometimes presented and it concludes;
"...that there is absolutely no discernible correlation between the areas where new migrants from Eastern Europe settled and changes in the claimant count. More sophisticated analysis shows pretty much the same thing; and using other data sources, and other definitions of migrant, likewise."
So my question is this: why, when UK unemployment levels are high and rising, does economic migration - people moving to the UK to work - persist?
To bring it right down to Cullingworth - why are all the workers in the chicken factories immigrants?
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1 comment:
Because, if we accept that the present incumbents of Government CAN mange to reduce the maximum benefit paid to theose "families" on the Dole to 25,000 then to ensure they are not disadvantaged if/when they go to work they would need a top line wage of 35,000 P.A.
No way will you receive this unless you have a pretty desirable set of skills and a work ethic to go with it, neither of which the people on permanent benefits will have.
If you ARE a foreigner, then coming here and working in a low grade job will pay you a weekly wage equivalent to a months salary back in (e.g. Poland). Then you can apply for and get Child allowance which is cureenty for one child the equivalent of 1 weeks wages in Poland. Claim for 3 and you have a almost months salary EVERY week being sent home. naturally, there is no check that the number of children you are claiming for actually exist.
Plus, of course, you can claim benefits to top up your wages and increase the amount sent home.
You bring your own car from home and, provided that it is not in the UK for more than 6 months, then you don't have to tax, insure or MOT it here. All you need to do is every 6 months buy a ferry ticket from France to here, and if stopped, then of course you wave the ticket at the policeman and claim you have only just arrived.
Anything goes wrong, skip off back home with no penalty.
This lot was explained to me by a Polish guy that I shared a house with in Birmingham while I was working away from home. he was having a huge house built on the proceeds of the child benefit and his wife drove a brand new VW Golf GTI - and why not.
He told me that he thought the British were mad but if the cake was there for the taking ...
Why are all the workers in chicken factories immigrants? Are you nuts? The Brits won't accept a drop heir living standards, and neither will the Poles.
Phil B
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