Can anyone answer this conundrum that has been puzzling me?
Scenario One: Hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world come to settle in the UK as economic migrants. Most have little or no previous connection or allegiance to the UK. A sizeable number, previous experience shows us, may have no intention of contributing to or integrating into British society. We are told such an influx is of great benefit, culturally and financially to the country. In fact, we cannot survive as a nation without such an influx.
Scenario Two: A few thousand loyal ex-servicemen (all of whom laid their safety and their lives on the line for Britain) want to do the same. No evidence suggests that the proportion of this group with no intention of contributing to or integrating into British society is greater than in the first group. If anything, because of their nature, they will probably be more productive and more likely to assimilate. We are told that the cost (probably plucked from thin air but put variously at between �0.5bn and �10bn, depending on which paper you read) of allowing them to do so is unsustainable and such an influx cannot be allowed.
Its shameful the way the Gurkhas have been treated and totally ridiculous.
You are quite right to highlight the disparity. Generally the government's stance on immigration in general is lamentable.
I along with a vast number of people think thats it's disgusting for the government to treat the Gurkhas
this way. They have a long and very honourable tradition of service to this country many of them making the ultimate sacrifice and yet they are considered to be of lesser value then a load of idle, scrounging B******** most of whom never have or will contribute to the well being of this country and are only here for what they can get.
Perhaps the disparity is that economic migrants will pay tax and contribute to the system, and foreign ex-soldiers have not.
Ex-soldiers are more likely to have health issues and be more likely to need the National Health Service, a resource they have not paid a penny towards.
Soldiering was a vocation they chose volunterily . It should not be a backdoor to UK residency.
not paid a penny towards? What a crock. I was in the army for 15 years and can assure you that wherever i was in the world i always paid my tax and stamp like they all do. In addition it isnt just the gurkhas. Anyone who lives in a commonwealth country is free to apply to our forces. But cannot expect automatic citizenship.
In commonwealth days those in the colonies joined the Brit forces for a job to raise their own standards of living. Like any job, when redundant - it's over, if lucky you get a pension.
Ghurkas living in UK could suffer 'culture shock' as most immigrants have had. Why impose the UK culture on them.
Ghurkas are born warriors and have fought for other countries.
You have a very narrow (and wrong) interpretation of the term 'economic migrants'. You may surprised to learn that more than a quarter of economic migrants are employed in the health service, their taxes deducted by the Government. A further 30% are employed in Computers and business services.
I can't explain the disparity. Who could?
I believe the Gurkhas should be allowed to come and settle in the UK if they want to, but encouraged to stay in their own country.
They would be an asset here or there in Nepal.
One other point, there was recently a Maoist terror campaign in Nepal. Could a Gurkha soldier not claim political asylum for himself and his family here in the UK?
Whilst you're in your local Sainsburys do you ever question why you're only paying �2 for a chicken? It's because of those same economic migrants employed in the farming industry to keep your food bills low.
And on the way home, when you pop into Primark, do you ever question why that shirt you just bought only costs �5?
It's useful to only concentrate on the dodgy immigrants - but are they really more numerous as a percentage of total immigrants compared to Brits?