Thread: Britons fear race violence - poll

Almost two-thirds of people in Britain fear race relations are so poor tensions are likely to spill over into violence, a BBC poll has suggested.

Of the 1,000 people asked, 60% said the UK had too many immigrants and half wanted foreigners encouraged to leave.

But the proportion of people describing themselves as "racially prejudiced" was down to 20%, compared with 24% in 2005.

Equality and Human Rights Commission head Trevor Phillips said the findings were "alarming".

Britain's last serious race riots - when violent clashes erupted between white and Asian youths in northern England - happened seven years ago.

Despite this, the poll, carried out by Mori, found three out of four people thought there was now a great deal or a fair amount of tension between races and nationalities.

And almost two in three feared tension was certain or likely to lead to violence, although it is not clear whether people are imagining full-blown street riots or minor scuffles.

Mr Phillips told BBC News: "What worries me is if that friction starts to catch fire - if people do genuinely believe it's going to catch fire then we're in trouble.

"This finding may reflect not what is happening today but the story that's been told of the last 40 years - that if you get people of different kinds together then eventually there's going to be trouble."

The survey was commissioned to mark the 40th anniversary of Enoch Powell's infamous "rivers of blood" speech, in which he described the indigenous population's "sense of alarm and resentment" over immigration.

Speaking of his foreboding, he said: "Like the Roman, I seem to see the river Tiber foaming with blood."

BBC home editor Mark Easton says Powell's words, spoken to a small gathering in Birmingham's Midland hotel, still echo down the decades.

He says the effect of Powell's speech was in fact to force the issue of immigration off the political agenda, with any politician who ventured to broach the subject risking being accused of playing the race card.

This situation still exists 40 years later, our correspondent says.

Five months ago, a Tory candidate in Birmingham, Nigel Hastilow, was forced to step down by David Cameron for saying Powell was right that uncontrolled immigration would change Britain irrevocably.

However, the BBC poll finds many people share that view.

Asked if they thought immigration meant their local area didn't feel like Britain any more, a quarter of the sample agreed - double the amount who felt this three years ago.

Six out of 10 said immigration had made parts of Britain feel like a foreign country.

When Tory leader Michael Howard suggested communities couldn't cope with the pace of immigration during the 2005 general election campaign, he was accused of racism.

However, our correspondent says immigration is now back on the political agenda.

He says: "One reason politicians can debate it again, perhaps, is that the latest wave of immigration is different.

"The million Eastern Europeans who've come to the UK in the last three or four years are not looking to settle for good. Their motives are economic. And perhaps most importantly they are white.

"Forty years after Enoch Powell, the issues of race and immigration have been separated once more."

Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said the government knew immigration was a top concern among voters.

He said: "That is why 2008 sees the biggest shake-up to immigration and border security in 45 years, with a points system like the one in Australia and new rules to make people earn their stay in the UK, including speaking English and abiding by our rules.

"That is what is going to make our immigration system fit for the future."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7352125.stm

If the poor Brits really feel race wars are imminent, I am sure they will use the same tactics they used on the Scots and Irish to subdue them and take control. The Scots are already feeling the results of broken immigration policies pursued by the British government in the form of a huge influx of Poles coming into Scotland, who, by the way, speak no English. SOUND FAMILIAR?

Think of this...If a Brit were to come to Los Angeles for the first time ever being in the U.S.,
What sort of a vision would he have of America as a whole?
I'm already embarassed.

Originally Posted by TennesseeDaughter

If the poor Brits really feel race wars are imminent, I am sure they will use the same tactics they used on the Scots and Irish to subdue them and take control. The Scots are already feeling the results of broken immigration policies pursued by the British government in the form of a huge influx of Poles coming into Scotland, who, by the way, speak no English. SOUND FAMILIAR?

The Scots and Irish ARE Brits. Britain is the combination of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Polish and eastern european problem is pretty much confined to the big island (i.e. England, Scotland and Wales) since it is easy to get there through mainland Europe. Scotland is definitely not suffering more than any other bit of the land mass, if anything maybe less since there is less employment as a whole north of Hadrians wall. The immigration problems date back more than forty years in Britain, just with people from a different country who also have a tendency to not want to integrate.

Originally Posted by PatriotofPast

Think of this...If a Brit were to come to Los Angeles for the first time ever being in the U.S.,
What sort of a vision would he have of America as a whole?
I'm already embarassed.

As a US bound Brit who visited Los Angeles for the first time two years ago it was the traffic that startled me much more than the faces I saw. In all honesty that tends to be general reaction I have heard from friends. Just one big parking lot (or car park) I have heard it called.

Just thought this might make you feel a little better. Or maybe it says something about the Brits???

Immigration into Britain part 1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UG4_Ruj6h14
The unemployed Somali immigrant with 6 kids says the Govenment needs to give her money to live on. My ? why did she have so many kids.

Originally Posted by GFC

Immigration into Britain part 1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UG4_Ruj6h14
The unemployed Somali immigrant with 6 kids says the Govenment needs to give her money to live on. My ? why did she have so many kids.

Because she would say it is her right. The whole thing sounds very familiar doesn't it?

Those of us who feel it is important to support ourselves have one, two or so kids because that is the number we can take care of properly. Others just feel, what the heck, I will just ask for more money.

By the way the amount of benefits this woman was getting is equivalent to $66,000. I certainly do not have an income like that and if I did would feel I was doing awfully well.

Originally Posted by lindiloo

Originally Posted by PatriotofPast

Think of this...If a Brit were to come to Los Angeles for the first time ever being in the U.S.,
What sort of a vision would he have of America as a whole?
I'm already embarassed.

As a US bound Brit who visited Los Angeles for the first time two years ago it was the traffic that startled me much more than the faces I saw. In all honesty that tends to be general reaction I have heard from friends. Just one big parking lot (or car park) I have heard it called.

Just thought this might make you feel a little better. Or maybe it says something about the Brits???

No Lindiloo, The Brits are GOOD people (they speak English well) lol.
I know Los Angeles is a 3rd World City now, and I pray that this part of America NEVER has to experience THIER PLIGHT!
I've been FIGHTING for closed borders & LEGAL immigration since 9/11, others on here have been fighting much longer.
I have been to Arlington and been to the Black Hills National Cemetary..They DID NOT sacrifice for whats taking place in LA or our Nations Capital.

Originally Posted by lindiloo

Originally Posted by GFC

Immigration into Britain part 1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UG4_Ruj6h14
The unemployed Somali immigrant with 6 kids says the Govenment needs to give her money to live on. My ? why did she have so many kids.

Because she would say it is her right. The whole thing sounds very familiar doesn't it?

Those of us who feel it is important to support ourselves have one, two or so kids because that is the number we can take care of properly. Others just feel, what the heck, I will just ask for more money.

By the way the amount of benefits this woman was getting is equivalent to $66,000. I certainly do not have an income like that and if I did would feel I was doing awfully well.

So tax paying Brits benefit how from these immigrants who live off the dole.

Originally Posted by GFC

Originally Posted by lindiloo

Originally Posted by GFC

Immigration into Britain part 1
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UG4_Ruj6h14
The unemployed Somali immigrant with 6 kids says the Govenment needs to give her money to live on. My ? why did she have so many kids.

Because she would say it is her right. The whole thing sounds very familiar doesn't it?

Those of us who feel it is important to support ourselves have one, two or so kids because that is the number we can take care of properly. Others just feel, what the heck, I will just ask for more money.

By the way the amount of benefits this woman was getting is equivalent to $66,000. I certainly do not have an income like that and if I did would feel I was doing awfully well.

So tax paying Brits benefit how from these immigrants who live off the dole.

Just like anyone who refuses to support themselves they are a drain on the good honest people who get up every day and eke out a living for themselves and pay taxes and national insurance. Of course if the country continues to pay them what amounts to a VERY good salary to live on it does not exactly encourage them to make any effort.