Election Year or Fear!

[swaledale]

I don’t believe it! (Said in best Victor Meldrew voice). More than a ‘bit pathetic’, Sith. It’s a complete bloody irrelevance. Get on with what’s important and stop wasting time and (public) money.

As the first pronouncements by Reform/UKIP/Brexit in the Council's they "run" now were about flags and DEI, I'm expecting much more of the same. But then its easy to make such statements, harder to address the serious complex issues of the day that will actually improve people's lives.

[SithHappens]

The news Joe Biden is seriously ill with cancer is very sad. A good thing for him and his fight against it he didn't gain a 2nd term. Good luck to him in his fight against it.

[Trickytreesreds]

The news Joe Biden is seriously ill with cancer is very sad. A good thing for him and his fight against it he didn't gain a 2nd term. Good luck to him in his fight against it.

I'd concur. Cancer is awful. But he shouldn't have had a first term, he has obviously been in ill health for years.

[Trickytreesreds]

these parodies are getting out of hand,

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16QjnZo575/

Oh dear Kier, they are shafting you, *(cough)

[ramAnag]

Just for the sake of perspective…apparently net migration was halved in 2024 (source ONS/BBC) and there were about 6k fewer asylum seekers living in tax payer funded accommodation in March 2025 than December 2024.

Not claiming it’s all down to the new Government of course as they only came into power a little over half way through last year however it’s always useful to look for the positives.

In the meantime, Badenoch responds with ‘the numbers are still too high’ and Farage adds, ‘not as high as the great Tory betrayal, but still disastrous.’

Not commenting here on the rights and wrongs of migration - after all I’m still enjoying the hospitality of my ‘migrant family’ in the U.S. - but maybe we should all remember that Labour have only been in power for just over ten months and, for those obsessed by migration, it surely must be seen as a step in the approved direction.

[swaledale]

Just for the sake of perspective?apparently net migration was halved in 2024 (source ONS/BBC) and there were about 6k fewer asylum seekers living in tax payer funded accommodation in March 2025 than December 2024.

Not claiming it?s all down to the new Government of course as they only came into power a little over half way through last year however it?s always useful to look for the positives.

In the meantime, Badenoch responds with ?the numbers are still too high? and Farage adds, ?not as high as the great Tory betrayal, but still disastrous.?

Not commenting here on the rights and wrongs of migration - after all I?m still enjoying the hospitality of my ?migrant family? in the U.S. - but maybe we should all remember that Labour have only been in power for just over ten months and, for those obsessed by migration, it surely must be seen as a step in the approved direction.

Labour also seemed to ahve deported over 24,000 failed asylum seekers, which begs the question why the Tories found it difficult to do so. Or, are left lawyers not taking action when its a labour government, or even stranger perhaps this government is actually observing the legal requirements and getting on with the job? Not a word about this of course becuase things running as they should are never news!!

[Geoff Parkstone]

On the need today I thought I heard that the main reason net immigration was down was because far less students are coming to UK (under labour) which I would see as net bad news for university finance if nothing else

[Andy_Faber]

It would appear from reliable fact checking sources, including the BBC, who all confirm that HMG have declined to give their own sub analysis, that HMG have not ?deported? 24,000 souls, the majority having left voluntarily. HMG have returned less than 4% of those arriving by boat in the period in question (just over 1,000 of nearly 24,000)

Claimed by the government, disproved by the fact checkers, disbelieved by the majority, believed by the gullible (see above).

[Trickytreesreds]

It would appear from reliable fact checking sources, including the BBC, who all confirm that HMG have declined to give their own sub analysis, that HMG have not ?deported? 24,000 souls, the majority having left voluntarily. HMG have returned less than 4% of those arriving by boat in the period in question (just over 1,000 of nearly 24,000)

Claimed by the government, disproved by the fact checkers, disbelieved by the majority, believed by the gullible (see above).

Most of those left with a cash incentive, not Labour taking the problem by the nuts.
The Home Office has also posted a video on X, showing people being escorted onto planes by immigration enforcement officials, with the words: "we have removed more than 24,000 people".

But the claim is misleading. The government's latest figures show that only 6,339 of these were "enforced returns". Of those, they were ex cons like Albanians where we can now send them home, or others who had failed their legal blocking attempts. The majority were "voluntary returns" - and a significant number of these happen without the government's direct involvement or even knowledge.

So, in effect, lying through his teeth again.

[swaledale]

It would appear from reliable fact checking sources, including the BBC, who all confirm that HMG have declined to give their own sub analysis, that HMG have not ?deported? 24,000 souls, the majority having left voluntarily. HMG have returned less than 4% of those arriving by boat in the period in question (just over 1,000 of nearly 24,000)

Claimed by the government, disproved by the fact checkers, disbelieved by the majority, believed by the gullible (see above).

I'm not sure your description of GP as gullible is true but no doubt he will forgive you.

Disbelieved by the majority, ah your at it again with that delusion that your views represent the mainstream! If your going to make a statement claiming somebody else's statement is false, then its probably best for your credibility to avoid making a statement that definitely isn't true.

What's true is that 24,000 have returned, some voluntary, some with government assistance and some deported. One can't blame the government for highlighting this fact and claiming responsibility, after all performative politics is what a large proportion of the population seem to want, irrespective of whether anything is actually been achieved.

Meanwhile in other news 3 significant trade deals have been signed off, the one with the EU being the most significant and whilst some fisherman are bleating that they haven't gained anything, its a fact that any deal involves compromises that there are winners and losers and in terms of the benefit for the UK economy and businesses its win. Of course its only a step towards reversing the terrible and economically devastating deal that Johnson negotiated, which has cost the UK so much.