Most crowded country in Europe

[Lonnie]

Its Official,
England is now the most crowded country in Europe.

My question is,
Why were border controls abolished in the first place?.

I have my own thoughts on this, but i'd like to read what other ABers have to say first.

Thanks.

[China Doll]

If Splat is having frightfully then I want to bring back terribly... I say that a lot and get teased for it.

I'm terribly sorry but I don't know why border controls were abolished... Although I think the distinction between immigration, emigration and plain of running from a hideous routine/way of life may need to be taken in to consideration but I've done this argument so often that I'm starting to bore myself.

[Supernick]

This is great. I'm bringing back 'dear'. None of the girls I have ever been out with like me calling them 'dear', but I love older expressions of affection.

[China Doll]

Yes dear.

[anotheoldgit]

OK Me Duck.

[weeal]

my sentiments precisely

[Lonnie]

Some excellent and well thought out answers on immigration, which even though they are linked, wasn't asked, it seems that only Theland has so far adressed the question,

Why were border controls abolished.

Might take a couple of posts, I tend to ramble a bit, and some may or may not agree with me, because its basically anti-New Labour.

First some links, the first being the Devil incarnate, the Mail.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles /news/news.html?in_article_id=505585&in_page_i d=1770

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles /news/news.html?in_article_id=505585&in_page_i d=1770

http://www.congoo.com/news/addstorycomment.asp x?st=32098585&Channel_ID=65&Category_ID=225

That'll do, but there's plenty more, but how did this come to be?.
cont

[Lonnie]

I firmly believe, that New Labour, since it got in, has been trying to change the nature of this country (England), to this end, and its only one of the things they have and are doing, Border Controls were done away with, allowing too many people into the country, legal and illegal.

This country was built on immigration, but in the past, there's always been a breathing space between mass immigrations, where the immigrants have assimilated.

But right now, the very nature of England is changing, (for better or worse), I think the latter.

We are being ruled, I believe, by a Goverment of England haters,
Since they got in, except for a few innefectuals, the top men have always been Scottish, and the Grandaughter of an Irish terrorist.
Obviously, you can,t blame the Scottish populace, but you can blame the ones in Goverment.
cont

[Supernick]

England may well be up to 387 people per square km. However, if you widen your search to include the UK as a whole it becomes just 253 per square km (my rough working 245,000 sk. km. and 62mill people). This still makes us quite crowded, but not really that much more than Germany for example.
So there is a scare side to this story

[Lonnie]

By doing away with border controls, they are achieving their aim, the recent immigrants, (in the most part) are keeping to their own ethnic groups, (thats understandable), but I think it was all thought out beforehand.

It probably could have been put better, but thats why I think New Labour did away with border controls.

[kwicky]

I wonder what the reaction to some homeless individual reading the news in some faraway place that Britain is about to build 3 million new houses especially to cope with their arrival?

[stewey]

I don't live in the UK so I can't really comment upon the immigration policies. But I would like to say that like a lot of statistical data, 'Population Density' is a meaningless number. Certainly it is a 'true' number in that it is derived from a logical process; however, it certainly does not reflect reality. I live in Canada which is way down the list of densities, but believe it or not if I go out I can certainly see a lot more people than the reported 3.2 per square km.

[kwicky]

I always thought Canada especially during the Winter live much closer to the USA border which would explain the higher density in that region.

[vehelpfulguy]

>like the need for skilled workers,

In my local Sainsbury's car park we have people who clean your car for a fiver. All are immigrants.

Must be very skilled.

When it was "raided" a few weeks ago by the council and immigration department most were found to be here illegally.

How much tax do you think they pay?

Do you think any of them bother to insure their car (if they have one). Of course not.

We are slowly becoming a third world coutry.

[jno]

as Lonnie said, these figures are for England - not Britain. Presumably they include immigrant Scots and Welsh too. But it seems it's only the most crowded if you ignore the ones that are more crowded like Monaco and Malta, which seems a slightly dodgy way of assembling statistics (though not to the Mail, I dare say).

But to answer the question - I don't think Labour have any particular agenda in this matter. It's a natural outcome of European integration, a movement begun by Tories long ago and purused by both parties since then. It cuts both ways - as has been pointed out, migrants produce more wealth than they take out of the economy, so England is literally richer for their presence. And of course Brits (or in this case the English) are free to go abroad to work too, to march off to Australia in search of the good life or just to buy a home in a Bulgarian ski resort or to take their case to the European courts when they feel cheated by British justice. And they seem unconcerned that they're not limited by duty-free restrictions within the EU any more.

There are swings and roundabouts. People find it surprisingly easy to forget the bits they like in order to complain about the bits they don't.

[THECORBYLOON]

How can England be the most densely populated when in the same article it shows Holland (The Netherlands?) is more dense and Malta is more than three times as dense as England. Official? Aye, that'll be Saturday night...

[Booldawg]

To be totally pedantic, UK isnt the most crowded country in Europe; the Vatican City is. As has its own flag and is a separate self governing principality then its classed as a country in its own right. *sits back smugly in comfy swivel chair*

[Lonnie]

Hardly anyone gas said why they might think border controls were relaxed to be almost non existant.

I was hoping other theories might be put forward, so we could discuss them also.

Never mind, its the nature of the beast, just like to thank everyone for their answers.

[Lonnie]

For 'gas', read 'has'.

[jake-the-peg]

That's because it wasn't your question.

You were just looking for people to agree with your prejudices and it seems only Theland obliged

[Theland]

Yes, I am prejudiced, against any influences that have such a negative effect on our society. Mass uncontrolled immigration is but one.