Should migrants earn their benefits?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....nefits-takes-BNP.html

Why has she took so long to come up with this?

Couldn't be that Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP is standing against her in the 2010 General Election, could it?.

Interesting to note she herself is an immigrant,

Wikipedia:

/// Margaret Hodge was born in Egypt as Margaret Oppenheimer, the daughter of a refugee millionaire German Jewish steel trader and his Austrian Jewish wife, Hans and Lisbeth Oppenheimer.[2][3] After World War II, her family settled in London.///

[another-view]

Everyone should earn their benefits, not just migrants.

[pookieljh]

i think all citizen should earn their money regardless of race or background.

[Gromit]

// Couldn't be that Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP is standing against her in the 2010 General Election, could it?. //

Barking has a large immigrant population and is unlikely to vote for the BNP. Margaret Hodge has a large majority, more than twice her nearest rival. The BNP is standing in her seat (and the others they have targeted) not because they have any chance of winning, but because they have high profile Government Ministers in them.

Do you seriously think a Labour politician would tailor their policies because they had a BNP candidate standing against them?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.guardian.c...y/20/comment.politics

Reading this article dated May 2007, I think she has the problem well covered, the problem being is would her thoughts ever be put into practice?

/// Industry Minister Margaret Hodge argues that newcomers' rights cannot come before those born here.///

/// In April 2006 she commented in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph that eight out of ten white working class voters in her constituency may be tempted to vote for the British National Party (BNP) in the local elections on 4 May 2006 because "no one else is listening to them" ///

[Gromit]

/// eight out of ten white working class voters in her constituency may be tempted to vote for the British National Party (BNP) in the local elections on 4 May 2006 ///

Reality check AOG: This is what actually happened on 4 May 2006

The Labour Party retained control of the council winning 39 seats and 56% of the popular vote. The BNP won 11 seats and formed the official oppostion winning 14% of the popular vote. The Conservatives won 1 seat.

[anotheoldgit]

Yes I know that was in 2006, it is now 2010.

Do you really think that things have got better for the Labour Party?

Perhaps the results will be very different now 4 years on?

[VHG]

>Migrants would be forced to 'earn' the right to benefits and council housing over >several years under explosive plans outlined today by a senior Labour minister.

Labour have been in power for years, and been "in charge" of the most lax immigration policy EVER, that will ruin this country for decades.

And NOW, just before an election, they realise that immigration MAY be a vote loser for them.

They really are pathetic.

[jake-the-peg]

Amazing then VHG that with such pathetic oppononents Cameron still doesn't have enough of a lead to secure an overall majority

You don't suppose there's any chance that not everybody in the country shares your view or is that crazy talk?

[Rev Sermon]

I tend to agree with another-view that you should only be able to take from a system you have contributed to. I know there are always going to be exceptions but there aren't many people on benefits who would be incapable of doing something for the community. That applies as much to white anglo-saxons whose family has lived here for generations as recent immigrants.

[Oneeyedvic]

Agree with another-views and others who say that EVRYONE should have to 'earn' benefits.

Labour have been implementing a points system for immigrants not from the EU for 2 years now - I assume that the planning of this took some time as well.

[Dee Sa]

I am white british and born In Barking,still live there ,I certainly wont be voting for Margaret Hodge, what does she actually know about the people who live here and what they want ? about as much as she knew about the people in Hackney when she was their MP.

[mollykins]

If they can't/ won't get a job, unless they are very ill, they should do charity work or some sort of community work to get their benefits.

But everyone should be able to do something whether it be outside tidy parks up or doing office work that helps the cause.