Thread: Most Britons against illegal immigrant amnesty: poll

LONDON (AFP) - More than seven out of 10 Britons would be opposed to an amnesty for illegal immigrants and the majority believe immigration has changed Britain for the worse, a poll has shown

The survey of 2,400 people found that 45 percent were strongly against the idea of an amnesty, 27 percent merely disagreed, while 11 percent were in favour. The rest said they did not know.

In addition, 55 percent agreed that Britain had been changed "for the worse" by immigration because "something of our traditional culture has been lost".

Last month, Immigration Minister Liam Byrne refused to rule out the prospect of offering an amnesty to illegal immigrants living in the country.

The government estimates that Britain harbours between 310,000 and 570,000 illegal immigrants and it could take 10 years to deport them.

Pollsters YouGov carried out the survey for Migrationwatch, which campaigns against mass migration.

"One of the most fundamental responsibilities of government is the control of a nation's borders," said the think-tank's chairman Sir Andrew Green.

"However you dressed it up, an amnesty would be a clear admission of failure and an invitation to others to try their luck.

"Wherever amnesties have been held they have failed to deal with the problem of illegal immigration.

"In fact they have simply made a bad situation worse."

Green said such an amnesty in Britain would cost the taxpayer at least 500 million pounds (920 million dollars, 720 million euros) a year.

Asylum and immigration is a hot topic in Britain, with some newspapers regularly branding the system "chaotic".
Jack Dromey, deputy general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, told BBC radio that it would not be in Britain's interest to expel the illegal immigrants.

"It would be impractical to deport them -- it would take 25 years at 11,000 a time, it would divert resources from the pursuit of crime and terrorism, and it would leave great holes in our economies and communities," he said.

"Who would cook, who would clean, who would work in the care homes, who would work in agriculture, who would work in the food factories?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060705/wl ... 0705113838

Originally Posted by AlturaCt

"Who would cook, who would clean, who would work in the care homes, who would work in agriculture, who would work in the food factories?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060705/wl ... 0705113838

Thats funny. Seems that the Britts have the same problem as us lazy Americans. I wonder if their entire economy would collapse as Mayor Bloomberg claims NYC would?
The biggest problem is that the UK along with the USA have no confidence in their own people. Just like us, maybe their politicians feel that they are not capable of cutting their own grass.
If I'm not mistaken, doesn't the UK have about a 10% unemployment rate along with several other countries in the EU?

wep561, you wonder if our entire economy would collapse without the illegals? I don't know, but I would sure like to have the chance to see if it would!

I am with you nitty. Let them prove it.

Prove to me a wall with armed men would not work.

Prove to me that our economy would collapse.

Prove to me that illegals cannot be deported.

I DARE them to prove it to me.

Originally Posted by nittygritty

wep561, you wonder if our entire economy would collapse without the illegals? I don't know, but I would sure like to have the chance to see if it would!

Not me nitty. Mayor Bloomberg said it. If it were true, then I say let the entire economy collapse. I'm a survivor.