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I am cut to the quick, Wendy. We were getting on so well.Originally Posted by wendun
In the ego stakes it is clearly you and Raging who are competing for the yellow jersey. Grist, John and I are in the peloton and Roly is the backmarker - trying gamely, but getting nowhere, which I suspect is the story of his life. It certainly is of his life on MM.
I was simply trying to move the debate on. So far, we have had the xenophobic hysteria from the usual suspects and the attempts to stifle any debate that carries any risk of resulting in the criticism being levelled at immigrants from the other group of usual suspects.
I thought it would be interesting to see what people think should be done, although I suspect that will quickly descend into a polarised 'sink the boats -v- have a celebration of multiculturalism with Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott as the main speakers' type thing. I’m sure that Wan will manage to work in something about the Single Market too.
Last edited by KerrAvon; 10-08-2020 at 06:58 AM.
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I would be surprised if anyone works for the Border Agency.
I don't do immigration work, but I do come across illegal immigrants in the work that I do do. I would say that the number of people who overstay student, tourism and work visas and those who enter in the backs of lorries dwarfs the numbers currently crossing the channel in small boats that are currently attracting such media attention.
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Where do you stand on it Kerr? What do you think should be done?
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I agree. The channel crossings seems to be the vogue immigration scandal that Farage has used his influence to inflate outrage that is somewhat out of context with the numbers.
Do you know if someone who has outstayed their visa are then added to the stats for numbers of asylum seekers?
Re: looking at solutions to the problem, could it be possible to:
1. I wouldn't have thought it beyond the wit of the Gov't to put resources (if they accept the problem is as Patel laid out, or was she just joining Farage's method as she doesn't actually have to back up her 'ideas' with action?) into setting up stations at the main points on the Kent coast and popular points to receive incoming people and have then detained to return to where they started from (if this can be ascertained) - isn't this along the lines of the agreement that the UK and France had as a solution to this issue. I can see the problems with the numbers of landing points as well as ascertaining the starting points, but just trying to see what could be done with additional will and resources on this.
2. Step up the penalties for those organising the crossings. But are they French? If so, what law? Have the UK/France consulted on this? Confiscate their dinghy!
I would hope that the larger problem of entry by lorries and overstaying of visas would be addressed with the new border arrangements and increased will to deal properly with the problem but can't say I trust the Government after winning so much support by 'talking tough' on immigration but practically changing nothing except gaining power for themselves. I think that all solutions would be costly and legally very challenging but not insurmountable given will and resources. I'd be interested in your views especially on legal solutions, and how we might get around the common issues like no passports to determine origins etc.
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Theres a simple idea to stop the crossings, make it illegal to own / buy / sell / build / sail / store a dinghy in France or French waters. All existing dinghy's should be handed into police stations as part of an amnesty
...surely the EU could come uo with something they are good at this sort of thing
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Just to add to the above post that whilst I am joining in the idea of looking for a solution to 'the problem' one thing I didn't mention which I think is important (although many on here would disagree) is for the UK to play an active and equal part with other countries in taking on board demonstrably genuine asylum seekers that are no longer able to live in their own countries or are fleeing war/famine/extreme situations that we are fortunate not to have to live with. We should be active (in my opinion) in taking our share of genuine AS as well as other European countries - I think we only took 6% of asylum seekers coming to EU countries, about 17th of all EU28 countries and I understand that this will include all AS detected and held via lorries/boats but not of course those that succeed in crossing undetected. So by looking at solutions, I'm not saying that I am buying into the overstating of the problem and thinking that for some reason the UK should leave the resettlement of AS just to other countries.
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So if I live on the French coast and want to buy an Intex to take my kids on (I've been doing that in Norfolk this week!) you would confiscate my dinghy? Really?
Don't you want to contribute serious ideas for yourself or are you really happy to leave it to the body you wanted to desperately for us to leave? Great! Let's stay in the f-ing EU then if we're that crap ourselves :-)
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You dont do sarcasm do you
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I think if you were trying to be funny you failed to land it. Maybe a reflection that some of the content on here is beyond satire.
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People devoid of a sense of humour would entirely agree with you John
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