Migrants 'willing to die' to get to Britain from Calais.

[Guest MattP]

So says the Mayor of Calais Natasha Bouchart giving evidence to the home affairs committee. Britain is an 'El Dorado' to migrants she says giving them money, access to the NHS, the opportunity to vanish into the expanding illegal employment market and even if they do get caught and told to go home they don't actually have to.

 

 

“The real magnet is not the city of Calais but the benefits that are perceived in Great Britain,” said Miss Bouchart.

“The weekly benefits of £36 that are given to migrants or asylum seekers is a huge amount for people who have nothing in their lives.

“People who have got through [to Britain] call and say ‘We’ve got through. This is El Dorado and we’re staying here’.

“I know £36 a week is not much in the UK, but they do not know that. They come from very poor countries.

“They have no idea about the value of money and they don’t understand that £36 is very little per week.

“There has not been a message from the British Government saying ‘This is not el Dorado’.

“If it is not true you need to be saying it very loudly and clearly in our country and across and throughout Europe.”

The British benefits system was “far too attractive” and was “encouraging people to come here”, she insisted during the committee hearing in London.

There are around 2,500 migrants currently in Calais and many are becoming increasingly violent, with organised crime playing an increasing role in trafficking people over the Channel, the mayor said.

 

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/oct/28/calais-migrants-willing-to-die-britain-french-mayor-natacha-bouchart-uk-benefits-france

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/11193448/Mayor-of-Calais-Natacha-Bouchart-blames-British-benefits-system-for-migrant-influx.html

 

What no one really has managed to explain yet is under the ECHR rules and laws on migration it states that every asylum seeker must seek refuge in the first 'safe' country they land in, given we are always told we have to adhere to EU law on pretty much everything, why is this part of legislation treated clearly treated with such callous disregard?

[Dr The Singh]

What she said was the truth!!

[Itsthejoeker]

We should send some people to Calais to tell them that it ain't as good as good as its made out to be, and they'd be better of trying somewhere else.

[bovril]

For many reasons the pull factor of Britain is huge and this is going to be one of the biggest challenges of the next few decades. I lived in Sicily for two years and came across loads of migrants, mostly from Africa, 90% of whom wanted to get to the UK. There was a massive industry in Palermo getting Italian passports for migrants who could then travel and settle in the EU.

You'd think that 3-4 rich countries in Europe could somehow get together to solve the situation. Foreign policy doesn't help, we support corrupt regimes in Africa then overthrow them when we feel like it (Libya) displacing a huge amount of people.

[purpleronnie]

Funny that the amount immigrants are entitled to is lower in the UK than France.  If these are illegal immigrants and not asylum seekers why aren't France looking to deport them?

 

Seems she is simply washing her hands and passing the buck to us.

[MooseBreath]

Yet another good reason to drastically cut back on welfare payments.

[Guest MattP]

Funny that the amount immigrants are entitled to is lower in the UK than France.  If these are illegal immigrants and not asylum seekers why aren't France looking to deport them?

 

Seems she is simply washing her hands and passing the buck to us.

 

Got a link for that Ron? I find it hard to believe.

 

You can see her point here surely? She's getting migrants turning up en masse to her town just to try and get over the channel, you can imagine the strain it's putting on local services.

[Vacamion]

I went to see a family of people who came to the UK as immigrants on Monday, as part of my job.

In a 3 bed flat (admittedly a large one for a 3 bed), they have 7 kids. Yes, seven. That's 9 people living there.

Neither of the parents has worked since they got here. One was a 'housewife' ( maybe that should be 'brood mare'), her husband is a 'full time carer' for their son who has learning difficulties.

Me and everyone else who works is paying to contribute to this mini population explosion while they just take.

It ain't right.

No wonder people queue up to live here.

I wouldn't dream of going to another country and asking them for money.

I wonder if there is anywhere else in the world you could go and do that?

[VLC86]

You can see her point here surely? She's getting migrants turning up en masse to her town just to try and get over the channel, you can imagine the strain it's putting on local services.

 

The irony of this is when I drove over to Italy i didn't once have my passport looked at when entering France so they cant give too much of a **** about who ends up there.

[hairy]

Got a link for that Ron? I find it hard to believe.

 

I heard this too on 5Live at lunch. We take in half the amount France does and a quarter Germany does. They are not entitled to benefits initially and when they are it is half of what is allowed to a Brit. They are also not allowed to work.

 

The debate was on at about 1 o'clock. Cant find a link on their site , sorry.

[Dr The Singh]

I heard this too on 5Live at lunch. We take in half the amount France does and a quarter Germany does. They are not entitled to benefits initially and when they are it is half of what is allowed to a Brit. They are also not allowed to work.

 

The debate was on at about 1 o'clock. Cant find a link on their site , sorry.

I don't like that arguement, were alot smaller country then those, with already having a large immigrant base!!!

[purpleronnie]

Strange that the assumption is that they want a life on benefits whilst in reality the vast majority want to work and do work.  But it's easy to pedal myths when it comes to immigrants. 

[Webbo]

Strange that the assumption is that they want a life on benefits whilst in reality the vast majority want to work and do work.  But it's easy to pedal myths when it comes to immigrants. 

How do you know your assumptions are any more true than the opposite assumption?

[Vacamion]

Strange that the assumption is that they want a life on benefits whilst in reality the vast majority want to work and do work.  But it's easy to pedal myths when it comes to immigrants. 

 

 

It's also easy to glibly assert that every last one of them wants to work, pretending that hardly any of them lives on the handouts they can get here...

 

I referred to my own experience earlier this week.  It wasn't an assumption.

 

There are plenty of jobs in Germany and Ireland, yet they all want to come to the UK.

 

Are they drawn here by the scenery or the cuisine or something?

 

Guess again.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Are they really willing to die though? Cos that seems a bit pointless. Why not save yourself the effort and die at home?

[Trav Le Bleu]

It's also easy to glibly assert that every last one of them wants to work, pretending that hardly any of them lives on the handouts they can get here...

 

I referred to my own experience earlier this week.  It wasn't an assumption.

 

There are plenty of jobs in Germany and Ireland, yet they all want to come to the UK.

 

Are they drawn here by the scenery or the cuisine or something?

 

Guess again.

 

And what's wrong with the scenery?

 

 

Not going to try and defend the cuisine though.

[Buce]

Not going to try and defend the cuisine though.

I largely agree with you: however, roast dinner, fish & chips, and full English breakfast rival anything in world cuisine.

And I speak as a vegetarian.

[DennisNedry]

Strange that the assumption is that they want a life on benefits whilst in reality the vast majority want to work and do work.  But it's easy to pedal myths when it comes to immigrants. 

 

The type of people that arrive on boats from Africa are only going to be able to do unskilled work if they are good for anything at all.

[J.Lisemore]

Strange that the assumption is that they want a life on benefits whilst in reality the vast majority want to work and do work.  But it's easy to pedal myths when it comes to immigrants. 

 

If the benefit system wasn't as ridiculous as it is, I have a feeling a lot of them would be put off...

 

And who can blame them? a free, better life for these people.

[Tielemans63]

Are they really willing to die though? Cos that seems a bit pointless. Why not save yourself the effort and die at home?

  Exactly what I was thinking.

[Dr The Singh]

  Exactly what I was thinking.

ALot these people have had to sell there homes, there possesions to trafficers get to britian, if they fail there families will be ruined.

 

I can only talk of my experiences, many of my family members in punjab have sold or mortgaged there home etc to trafficers so they may get to Britain, because of the myths and success stories of previous imigrants.  I remember my cousin telling me of his friend going through this process being able to drink a new bottle of single malt and eat like a king everyday and send money back to his family.......it's all bullshit, but kids and adults in the 3rd world hear stories and dream of a better life

[Alf Bentley]

Strange that the assumption is that they want a life on benefits whilst in reality the vast majority want to work and do work.  But it's easy to pedal myths when it comes to immigrants. 

How do you know your assumptions are any more true than the opposite assumption?

 

I'm not sure that anyone can "know", but here are some links to reports / credible research. It all pretty much points to (a) immigrants in the last 15 years claiming a lot less in benefits than native Brits and making a substantial net contribution in tax;

(b) probably a slight downward pull on wages for unskilled/low-skilled work (but not higher-skilled); © beneficial effects for business and the wider economy; (d) no adverse effect on unemployment - find that one hard to believe, but presumably the claim is that the employment of migrants (instead of natives) in some jobs generates other jobs filled by natives (?). 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24813467

http://www.migrationwatchuk.org/briefingPaper/document/235

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/333083/MAC-Migrants_in_low-skilled_work__Full_report_2014.pdf

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/05/29/migrants-wages-uk-immigration_n_5409319.html

"Immigrants to the UK since 2000 have made a "substantial" contribution to public finances, a report says.

The study by University College Londonsaid recent immigrants were less likely to claim benefits and live in social housing than people born in Britain.

The authors said rather than being a "drain", their contribution had been "remarkably strong".

The government said it was right to have strict rules in place to help protect the benefits system.

Immigrants who arrived after 1999 were 45% less likely to receive state benefits or tax credits than UK natives in the period 2000-2011, according to the report by Prof Christian Dustmann and Dr Tommaso Frattini from UCL's Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration.

They were also 3% less likely to live in social housing".

[Dr The Singh]

I'm not sure that anyone can "know", but here are some links to reports / credible research. It all pretty much points to (a) immigrants in the last 15 years claiming a lot less in benefits than native Brits and making a substantial net contribution in tax;

(b) probably a slight downward pull on wages for unskilled/low-skilled work (but not higher-skilled); © beneficial effects for business and the wider economy; (d) no adverse effect on unemployment - find that one hard to believe, but presumably the claim is that the employment of migrants (instead of natives) in some jobs generates other jobs filled by natives (?). 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24813467

http://www.migrationwatchuk.org/briefingPaper/document/235

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/333083/MAC-Migrants_in_low-skilled_work__Full_report_2014.pdf

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/05/29/migrants-wages-uk-immigration_n_5409319.html

"Immigrants to the UK since 2000 have made a "substantial" contribution to public finances, a report says.

The study by University College Londonsaid recent immigrants were less likely to claim benefits and live in social housing than people born in Britain.

The authors said rather than being a "drain", their contribution had been "remarkably strong".

The government said it was right to have strict rules in place to help protect the benefits system.

Immigrants who arrived after 1999 were 45% less likely to receive state benefits or tax credits than UK natives in the period 2000-2011, according to the report by Prof Christian Dustmann and Dr Tommaso Frattini from UCL's Centre for Research and Analysis of Migration.

They were also 3% less likely to live in social housing".

When the economy is good and job market is abundant, great!!!  The natives can relax and immigrants take over, at this moment and time there are thousands of illegal immigrants who are living in the streets of london that struggle to get shitty labour jobs etc etc!!

[Webbo]

I'm not sure that anyone can "know", but here are some links to reports / credible research. It all pretty much points to (a) immigrants in the last 15 years claiming a lot less in benefits than native Brits and making a substantial net contribution in tax;

(b) probably a slight downward pull on wages for unskilled/low-skilled work (but not higher-skilled); © beneficial effects for business and the wider economy; (d) no adverse effect on unemployment - find that one hard to believe, but presumably the claim is that the employment of migrants (instead of natives) in some jobs generates other jobs filled by natives (?). 

 

There are obviously some immigrants who come here to work and obviously there are a lot who come here to live off benefits. What the percentages of each group there is I wouldn't claim to know but I wouldn't glibly dismiss the genuine concerns and experiences of others as racism either or assume that everyone who disagrees with me isn't clever enough to realise that they've been brainwashed by the right wing press.

[Trav Le Bleu]

ALot these people have had to sell there homes, there possesions to trafficers get to britian, if they fail there families will be ruined.

 

I can only talk of my experiences, many of my family members in punjab have sold or mortgaged there home etc to trafficers so they may get to Britain, because of the myths and success stories of previous imigrants.  I remember my cousin telling me of his friend going through this process being able to drink a new bottle of single malt and eat like a king everyday and send money back to his family.......it's all bullshit, but kids and adults in the 3rd world hear stories and dream of a better life

 

And if they die this will somehow help their families?