What is wrong with Britain?

[Gromit]

The Office for National Statistics have released figures that show that 2 million immigrants that have come to this country in the last ten years, have moved on, apparently not liking the place. Coupled with that, 2 million Britons have also fled.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1990807 /Two-million-Britons-emigrate-in-10-years.html

Our country is undeniably beautiful, and there are plenty of jobs, so why the exodus?

[R1Geezer]

Noo Labour???

[nedflanders]

3 words, tax, tax and tax.

[keyplus90]

Most probably they got fed up with benefit system here which encourages and suits people who just want to sit and drink and do nothing. Anyone who wants to work and earn is made to pay too much tax and all the other bits and pieces. That is what actually is forcing hard working people away. At the end of the day no one minds helping the needy but not helping the greedy.

[bazwillrun]

the people that i know that have left over the years all left for the following reasons and
1 Coloured immigration, loss of country's identity and culture
2 Taxes,
3 EU

when people are asked on tv or radio why they have left or are leaving they are too scared to tell the truth , its easier to say taxes.

In private people will give the real reasons,

[China Doll]

Reading through some of the posts on this site I think it's pretty clear what's wrong with this country.

[weeal]

where do you get the 'plenty of jobs' from ? I havent found that to be correct, there are lots of cr@ppy paid jobs tho which would enable you to live like a tinker

[IggyB]

i alwasy found the idea that someone would leave the country because of immigrants a funny one - leaving your country of origin because to dislike immigrants to become an immigrant in another country just doesn't seem very sensible or realistic to me

[jake-the-peg]

Well the Polish Government is running an advertising campaign and granting tax concessions to get people to come back

http://www.wieninternational.at/en/node/8133.

But most people emmigrate because they think they can do better abroad.

Quite a chunk in recent years have been people retiring and cashing in on property prices (see France's recent health service restrictions on people doing this).

Of course there's a large chunk that return. The top nationality of immigration each year is actually returning British.

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co .uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080303/text/80303w0 032.htm (bottom of page)

Seems like Britain's not so bad after all

[ludwig]

People perceive that there is a better quality of life to found elsewhere..

http://www.il-ireland.com/il/qofl2008/

http://www.internationalliving.com/internal_co mponents/further_resources/quality_of_life08

[jake-the-peg]

Think there's some problems with that data Ludwig.

The UK cost of living scores 5 where as Ireland scores 0

That would imply that you need an income 11 times as high here to live to the same standards as you do in the US and infinitely higher in Ireland?

And apparently you're more at risk in Tuvulu than in Iraq!

[Whickerman]

I'm an outsider looking in, so i hope you won't mind an answer from one of your neighbours!

Britain can be beautiful, but the sprawl of cities has blighted this - soon London, Manchester, Brimingham and Liverpool will be distinguishable only by post code.
The rise of yob culture is all that your media shows the outside world - if it's that prevalent you have a huge problem to overcome.
The taxes you guys pay are ridiculous - income tax, fuel tax, council tax etc etc - how many times do you need to be taxed on each pound?
One commentator has cited the EU - yet I would hazard a guess that the majority of those emigrating are to Ireland, France and Spain, followed only then by non-EU countries like the US and Oz.
There may be plenty of jobs, but as Weeal states, you'd need two of them to survive on the whole.
A vocal minority get their political views from the Mail or the Sun, and a percentage of them never actually think about this.
I'm sure immigration has played a role, but the policies of many decades have allowed ghettoisation of areas of your cities.
And to be honest, if you read any thread in the law section, there are loads of reasons to move away - there seems to be a serious issue regarding community and neighbours.
Lastly from me - I've said it many times on here, you guys are terrified to assert yourselves as English (not so much the Scots and Welsh) for fear of upsetting someone - what's that about?

Just some thoughts.

[ludwig]

Jake - Yes, that data does look dodgy - here are various others for comparison..

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1562205 /Britain-17th-in-world's-quality-of-life-index .html

http://www.il-ireland.com/il/qofl06/index.php

http://www.norway.org.uk/policy/news/humandeve lopmentlist.htm

[Lonnie]

I think its obvious why Border controls have been done away with,

All the immigrants allowed in, during the past ten years, are potential Labour voters, at least, that was the hope,

There was talk, although it didn't come to anything, about giving the Illegal Immigrants the vote, and right now, they are giving the Illegals National Insurance numbers, so they can claim benefits.

[brachiopod]

That's right, Lonnie, just the other day I had a leaflet through the door from the council that said;

"Are You An Illegal Immigrant? Get Your NI number NOW and claim lots of benefits!!"

I would show it to you just to prove its true, but...er.. er.... I lost it.

[naomi24]

Whicker, You've made some very valid points - and as for your final observation, you're right. It seems the English pretty much apologise for being English these days.

[Jillius]

keyplus has got it in one !

[jno]

Jake, Tuvalu's about an inch above water. Its main industry seems to be selling the .tv domain name to websites. When the water level rises Tuvalu will be no more. So it's pretty risky.

weeal, it's true the British do not want to work for low wages. But they do like to pay other people low wages to do things for them. So they get immigrants who don't mind the pay because it's better than at home. Ban all immigrants and watch the cost of living shoot up. Actually, they're going home already

http://search.ft.com/ftArticle?sortBy=gadatear ticle&queryText=polish+migrants&y=5&aje=true&x =13&id=080401000254&ct=0&page=2&nclick_check=1

and what's happening to the cost of living?