Where The Hell Are The Romanians And Bulgarians???

[sp1814]

Remember at the end of last year, when several news sources warned of the hundreds of thousands of Romanians and Bulgarians all champing at the bit to come over to the UK from January 1st?

What happened?

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/may/14/number-romanian-bulgarian-workers-falls-border-controls

From the Office of National Statistics:

"The labour force survey figures show that there were 122,000 Romanians and Bulgarians nationals working in Britain in March this year – a fall from 125,000 in December just before the last seven-year transitional controls were lifted on the new EU members on 1 January."

[Khandro]

The gates were officially opened on Jan. 1st, but anyone could come in legally on a three month tourist visa prior to that. I crossed from Dunkirk to Calais in late September i.e. 3 months before the watershed, and there was a dilapidated Rumanian coach full of young men 55 maybe and others on foot and in cars, I can't imagine many have returned, and if that is the pattern which I believe it is. Say there are just 30 on every ferry at 12 a day since September which seems to be the pattern on every crossing I have made, that would = about 75,000 and that's just one point of entry.
It was pointed out by D.Dimbleby on Question Time last week that last year alone the population of the UK increased by the same amount as the population of Southampton.

[Kromovaracun]

"It was pointed out by D.Dimbleby on Question Time last week that last year alone the population of the UK increased by the same amount as the population of Southampton."

I thought he said that the number of people coming in was equal to southampton? I only ask because that's quite a different statistic as it doesn't measure outflow.

[emmie]

they are here, selling the big issue on every corner, and going on some i saw earlier today, they aren't just in the big capital, but spreading their wings, there is no way to know for sure how many are here, whether previous influx or the current influx, no matter how some want to spin it. The people we need aren't the worlds poor, but the educated, somewhat better off from these countries, of course that then leaves those countries minus people that they need to build their own societies up, perhaps if they paid them more they might stay put.

[emmie]

some went home, persuaded by the authorities, only to return at a later date, that was according to one chap who was interviewed on the tv news, as to why they have returned, because he said, there is nothing for us in Romania

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=romanians+in+london&client=firefox-a&hs=pzc&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=IY5zU6qBG6uq7QaA2oHYBQ&;ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1093&bih=443&;dpr=1.25

[keyplus90]

Did you not see me SP? I am already here.

[sp1814]

methyl

A little off topic to be talking about African and Asian entrepreneurs, but good luck to them if they have the gumption to get up and start their own businesses.

Furthermore, I'm satisfied that the ONS perform checks on migration metrics, to assess the numbers of Romanians and Bulgarians entering the country, as opposed to looking for people who 'look' like they are from those two countries.

As for 'pyjama people'...a bit speechless.

[emmie]

the people in Hyde Park according to the police, border agencies were largely Romanians, as are the ones selling the Big Issue, as was the bloke who said he has come back to London because there is nothing for him back home in Romania.

[Zeuhl]

'Pyjama People'?

I think that term has already been assigned to Nazi Death Camp inmates so may not be available

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boy_in_the_Striped_Pyjamas

[emmie]

methyl, no they don't, you can lose yourself in London, Brum, Liverpool, Manchester, any large city. those coming in on the back of lorries, those waiting their turn in France, on the borders are getting in, the border agencies know its an uphill battle.

[emmie]

as to government figures, not worth the paper they are written on,

[sp1814]

I thought they were all coming over to steal our jobs.

So why is the number of jobless falling?

The number of Romanians and Bulgarians entering the country since January 1st has definitely fallen...is that right?

And if so...errrmmm...I'm sorry - I'm still thinking about 'pyjama people'. Can't get the image of Bungle from Rainbow out of my bloody head now.

[sp1814]

methyl

No...I'm sure you're right.

But I'm referring to the Office of National Statistics.

I believe this is an independent department, not aligned to the current government.

[Kromovaracun]

"as to government figures, not worth the paper they are written on,"

Then how exactly do you judge it? People never seem to trust it when researchers actually try and make their own measurements. How are we supposed to find the truth on this?

[sp1814]

khandro

I recall the stories at the end of last year - some media outlets were claiming that coach companies had sold out of tickets and that airlines were fully booked.

Turned out to be very slightly (ie. completely) made up!

Let me see if I can find the link on the media watch site I subscribe to...

[New Judge]

The ONS figures only mention those working. It would be more helpful if they quoted the number of arrivals who did not leave.

On the subject of net migration figures, in the 12 months ending June 2013 503,000 people came to live in the UK. Of those, 261,000 were from other EU countries.. In the same period 320,000 people left making a net increase of 183,000 . As a comparison the current population of Southampton is around 236,000.

As I have said before quoting net migration figures is disingenuous. The majority of those leaving tend to be in the higher skilled and/or higher wealth brackets (as most other countries outside the EU would not admit them if they were not). Those arriving in the main tend to be the opposite. Further, the premises vacated by those leaving are unlikely to be affordable for those arriving so, essentially, homes for half a million people had to be found.

Of course those happy to see a third of a million of the UK's population swapped in this manner will be perfectly happy with "net" migration. Personally I'm not and would prefer the government to concentrate on the number of arrivals as it would paint a fairer picture of the way the country is being transformed beyond recognition and irrevocably.

[sp1814]

Here you go:

http://www.themediablog.co.uk/the-media-blog/2014/01/new-year-same-nasty-xenophobia.html

[emmie]

those looking for work will be here for a short time, so largely economic migrants, so how does that benefit Britain in the long term read any link, that includes the BBC and mostly they are young, many unskilled, some without English, those well educated cannot get comparable work in their homelands, so will make money here, send enough home, then go back, that is according to the various people that were interviewed, or that as soon as they have a job, if they do, they can send for their families.
how do we go on like this when we have a shortage of housing, school spaces, stretched NHS, hospitals, GP.

[emmie]

so anyone concerned is xenophobic.