Immigration? What do you think?

[Pufflette]

I'm not from London. Around the city centre English appears to be a minority language. On the bus to Croydon from Brixton one appears to be one of the few white persons of British descent. In the two hotels and eateries I went to most of the staff did not speak English as their first language or hailed from a minority group. I asked other people what they thought.

One said,

"All the white Londoners have moved out to the suburbs."

Another said,

"But that's why I like London."

Yet another said something along the lines of:

"Its not a British city, it's a global city."

What do you think?

[rojash]

The last time I visited the UK, I was pleasantly surprised to find how helpful and courteous all the shop assistants were - not at all as I remembered from the past.

I mentioned this to a friend and he replies "Yes, but how many of them were English?" and on reflection I realised that most were not. So I guess I prefer an England full of foreigners.

[Gromit]

I too am not from London, but judging by the white Londoners I have met abroad, then any city without them has to be greatly improved.

[LazyGun]

Its there to be embraced. Most people who compliment London say its mostly because of the cosmopolitan air it has (it certainly isnt for the weather) and long may that view continue.

[angiealf]

I'm in no way racist but we have too many Portuguese over here in Jersey. They're everywhere you go. My mother was on a bus a while ago and over heard a visitor commenting that they'd been here for a week and had not met any local residents yet only foreigners. Mum spoke up and said she was born in the Island. The visitors treated her like a celebrity during their trip on the bus.

[angiealf]

After clicking on submit I realised that if any Portuguese living in Jersey read my last post they may get offended. It wasn't my intention. It's just there are loads of Jersey people looking for accomodation and jobs, anyone who comes into the Island seems to get the jobs first.

[leggionaire]

Im of the opinion that immigrants only get jobs in the main because they will do more for less money and without complaining.

As for foreigners they may have less english but their manners are far superior to some of the homegrown manky gold soverign wearing chavs that we see so much of .

[Ankou]

its the same wherever you go. i went to paris in may and madrid in june and they were both full of foreigners and hardly any of them spoke english.

its a travesty i tell ya.

[DrFilth]

last time i was in paris is was full of french people



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[padanarm]

There's a strange right-wing belief that the British are a pure-bred race and that foreigners are a bad thing.

From romans, through saxons, danes and vikings to the normans who gave us our feudal system. From the mix of french, spanish and dutch who were involved in the glorious revolution and rise of our current monarchy to the european refugees of the thirties and american GIs. From the hardworking asians and west indians of the seventies and eighties to the easten europeans of today.

Doesn't our mongrel history make it more difficult to think in terms of them and us?

[Whickerman]

British history has been built on making other races British subjects. Why then is it such a shock to learn that some of them might choose to live in London?

Add that to the EU free movement and you are where you are.

And imho it's no bad thing.