Most crowded country in Europe

[Lonnie]

Its Official,
England is now the most crowded country in Europe.

My question is,
Why were border controls abolished in the first place?.

I have my own thoughts on this, but i'd like to read what other ABers have to say first.

Thanks.

[Theland]

I'm guessing of course, but I think that big business has a thrirst for cheap labour, and that influenced the lack of border controls, and now we all suffer on account of the free for all that has ensued. We should always be hospitable to genuine refugees, but the immigrants coming here now are taking the mick big time, and the social structures of our society are unravelling as a result. But Lonnie, what are your thoughts on this?

[MrsT]

Are we not also the softest touch in Europe? coincidence? I don't think so!

[sp1814]

MrsT...aren't you mixing two different things up?

Lonnie described our borders as being open...this I took to mean to European workers.

However, the waves of workers that are coming in from the expanded Europe are all coming to work, not claim benefits.

They have a strong work ethic in Eastern Europe. My sister-in-law has worked in Poland for about 10 years and she tells me that it's considered a great embarrassment to be out of work!

It used to be like that over here...

[Lil O'lady]

There's plenty of room where I live Lonnie. Has this info been based on empirical data or is it another media hate-fest?

[MrsT]

Sure workers have come over but I imagine a fair few dossers have come too I mean try and claim free dosh in any other EU country and see how far you get. Come to Engand and we'll stuff your pockets full of tax payers dosh, no problem.

Put it this way if you where a total workshy layabout where would you think you'd get the most for nowt?

[BillStickers]

If I was such a lazy, workshy dosser I doubt I could be @rsed to emigrate.

[sp1814]

MrsT

Of course...you realise what you're saying is frightfully untrue.

(I want to reintroduce the word 'frightfully' into common usage).

[sp1814]

MrsT

Sorry...I was being facetious.

Now, are you seriously suggesting that there are a significant number of people who want to uproot their families, sell their possessions and leave all they know to come to a country where they know no-one, don't speak the language etc...so that they can live on social security?

It's a bit of a stretch isn't it?

Yes - I 'spose there are absolutely some people who might want to go to the trouble to sponge, but to suggest that their numbers are hugely significant is a bit of a red herring.

Think about it...if it were true, how comes the Daily Mail hasn't given us figures on 'Euro Dole Scroungers'.

It's because it's not a story even they can make up.

[Goodsoulette]

The most crowded country in Europe, and yet, I still have no gawjus boy to cuddle tonight. Looks like my luck of finding a fit Frenchman to snuggle with is right out of the picture.

[jake-the-peg]

The mail has ignored Britain as a whole in order to make the point about Britain.

You might say "I don't live in Scotland" but then you don't live in the whole of England either do you?

What counts is where you live

For example population density in London is way down on Paris where you have some of the highest population densities in Europe.

Yet France is at the bottom of the "most crowded country in Europe" league

So really it's a pointless statistic

[MrsT]

what's untrue SP? are we not the easiest country in the EU from which to obtain free dosh? or do you mean that no dossers have come into the country? That was frightfully abmiguous of you.

[BillStickers]

sp, I meant what you said but I expressed it in a more lazy way.
Dosser that I am.

[anotheoldgit]

I woundn't boast too much Lil O'Lady, or perhaps now that London & the south east are near to bursting, they may have their eyes on your own little Shangri-la.

Oh alright then sp1814, "you are so Frightfully wrong."

[Supernick]

Is the UK the most crowded? I presume that you mean in terms of population density? I'm quite a fan of stats and figures, so if you had a link that would be cool.

In the meantime, here are the Wikipedia stats, that would show Netherlands and Belgium to be way more population dense than we are.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries _by_population_density

[IggyB]

we need immigration - we are prospering from immigration - people coming here to work and pay taxes are supporting our economy, for example if were to stop immigration from europe etc then what is already a pension crisis would become a pension nightmare as the indigenous population is not having enough children to support the aging population. This is only one example of why immigration is important for the UK there are loads more, like the need for skilled workers, if we can't supply the sort of workers we need to maintain our strong economy then we need to import at the same time there are loads of jobs that the British just don't want (working all hours keeping a shop open, cleaning up after everyone else etc) and if immigrants do want this work then all the better for us.

These are some of my thoughts on the border control issue, i agree that there will be some scroungers in amongst all this but i think their numbers will be so small as to be almost not worth worrying about. If we were to worry about robbing from the state we have more than enough of our own home grown scoungers to think about, and effort to reduce the welfare burden on that front might really make a difference

[sp1814]

MrsT

Thank you for supporting my efforts to reintroduce 'frightfully' to common parlance.

I should've explained...you could argue social security system is more open to fraud/exploitation (as it always has been). However, even though there will be a small number of immigrants who want to uproot their families to come and take advange of the system, they will be a small proportion of those who come over, work for a few years and return.

...and these economic migrants will be taxed and make NI contributions.

Taxable earning start at �2,230...not sure where NI starts, but this is all money that goes into the pot.

From the bbc.com:

The most recent publication on the subject by the Home Office suggested that migrants contribute more in taxes and national insurance than they consume in benefits and other public services.

It estimated that the UK's foreign-born population contributes about 10% more to government revenues than it receives in state expenditure..

[weeal]

I think 'most crowded' may be a slight exaggeration

but I agree with MRS T, the UK lets anything in!



runs before suffering the most frighful bashing

[sp1814]

Wow.

The response to 'frightfully' has been so good, it give me hope for my forthcoming 'poppyc0ck' campaign.

[weeal]

I shouldve spelled it correctly

Hope this helps!

[stewey]

I say, sp1814, jolly good endeavour you have adopted. Quite smashing actually. It would be rather spiffy to bring back some of golden-oldies expressions. Spot-on, old chap...........Frightfully keen on it.