European commissioner is right: we can not let populism win ahead of facts on immigration

Vivane Reding, vice-president of the European commission, stated in a web chat last night that in the UK there is a perception of an "invasion of foreigners" coming to the UK to "steal jobs".

Vivane Reding, vice-president of the European commission, stated in a web chat last night that in the UK there is a perception of an “invasion of foreigners” coming to the UK to “steal jobs”.

“this supposed invasion of foreigners coming to the UK and stealing the jobs and stealing the social security and the health money……The fact and figures, and we all know this, show it is simply not true….I am mostly frustrated about the political leaders because what is leadership if you just try with populistic movements and populistic speech to gain votes?”

Indeed, if you were to take an overview of the UK’s press today then it would appear that all of our economic woes are due to ‘benefit scroungers’ and immigrants.

Ms Reading is right to point out that we have fallen into scapegoating immigrants, whipped up by populists such as Nigel Farage and the tabloids.

A quick look at some of the myths behind immigration illustrates as much:

‘They are taking our jobs’

This is a cry that has rung through the ages, be it the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. The historical data is undebatable that immigration helps creates jobs; the idea that employment is a zero-sum game of continual limited jobs either for immigrants or UK born workers is simply wrong.

An example of this is that in 2012 over 66 per cent of European immigration came from core EU community countries like Germany and France, providing skilled staff that are more “likely to be in higher managerial or professional occupations and they also earn 7.6 per cent (£2,035) on average more than UK workers”

In other words, the high skilled workers we need to be competitive in the world market.

To lose these young, motivated workers would be an economic disaster. As The Centre of Business Research states:

 “Tighter immigration controls will result in a loss of 2 per cent from GDP by 2050, £60billion in real terms. And without migrants from the EU helping to off-set the UK’s ageing population, government borrowing would be 0.5% higher.”

We can also see the longitudinal effects of this immigration. Again, the evidence is positive: a 30-year study found that although migrants often experienced downward mobility to begin with:

“Caribbean, Black African, Indian and Chinese young people were more likely to have found professional or managerial jobs than their white, non-migrant counterparts….Upward mobility among children from minority ethnic groups was due to their educational achievements. This suggested that migrant parents often encouraged and motivated their children to gain good qualifications”.

‘They are all on benefits’

This is counterfactual to the above evidence on jobs and not supported by data from Ian Duncan Smith’s own Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), which says:

“16.6 per cent of working age UK nationals were claiming a DWP working age benefit compared to 6.6 per cent of working age non-UK nationals.”

Let’s put this another way and look at ourselves through the eyes of the immigrant. If we in the UK behaved as non-UK nationals do, the DWP working payments in benefits would be cut by over half – by over £30 billion. Over the long-term migrants are also helping to pay for our ageing population and pensions (by far the largest DWP cost).

‘Education and Health Care is at breaking point’

There is no denying that communities which have had an increase in immigration are under stress, but to blame this on the immigrants is to miss the point. Those who have come to Britain are working and paying taxes, therefore it is the government’s job to provide the extra funding to the individual schools and hospitals in that area.

This failure of government policy was highlighted by the funding (£1.5 billion) being diverted to Academy Schools “where extra places weren’t needed“.

‘Our communities are breaking down’

There is a sense of moral panic about this and this was illustrated when a Migration Observation study asked if people thought the UK had a “very big problem” with immigration. It than asked whether their own community had a “very big problem” with immigration.

Over five times as many people (38 per cent to 7 per cent) thought the UK generally had a problem but not their own community. This shows the effect the media has on those in areas that have very little immigration but who see it as a national problem.

Never has the language of our politicians been so one sided.

19 Responses to “European commissioner is right: we can not let populism win ahead of facts on immigration”

  1. JC

    Still sounds to me like your facts and populism by.those who disagree. There are many analyses, including some that show recent immigration has only increased GDP by just a little less than the immigrants are expected to earn.

    Putting up paper tigers as opposing arguments does not make a debate.

  2. LB

    kely to be in higher managerial or professional occupations and they also earn 7.6 per cent (£2,035) on average more than UK workers”

    ========

    28,000 pounds a year. So you’re confirming that they don’t pay their way. 11.5K a year in tax, plus another 5K a year in tax to cover their fair share of the pensions.

    Nah, doesn’t add up. Even your definition of highly skilled workers do not pay enough tax to cover the cost of them being in the UK.

    That’s the lies. Politicians are desperately lying about the benefits of migration and they have been rumbled.

    People know that barristas in Starbucks aren’t even covering their NHS costs, let alone a 5K payment towards the pension costs.

  3. Lance

    We have the same issues here in the US but are more advanced than the EU is resolving them. Let’s face it, this immigration thing is a 20th century issue that has slopped over into the 21st century. The time has come to finally resolve it in an intelligent fashion, as three-fourths of Americans favor and Obama confronts head-on. A new award-winning worldwide book/ebook that helps explain the role, struggles, and contributions of immigrants and minorities is “What Foreigners Need To Know About America From A To Z: How to Understand Crazy American Culture, People, Government, Business, Language and More.” It paints a revealing picture of America for anyone who will benefit from a better understanding. Endorsed by ambassadors, educators, and editors, it also informs those who want to learn more about the last remaining superpower and how we compare to other nations on many issues.

    As the book points out,
    immigrants and minorities are a major force in America. Immigrants and the
    children they bear account for 60 percent of our nation’s population growth and
    own 11 percent of US businesses and are 60 percent more likely to start a new
    business than native-born Americans. They represent 17 percent of all new
    business owners (in some states more than 30 percent). Foreign-born business
    owners generate nearly one-quarter of all business income in California and
    nearly one-fifth in New York, Florida, and New Jersey. In fact, forty percent
    of Fortune 500 companies were started by an immigrant or a child of an
    immigrant, creating 10 million jobs and seven out of ten top brands in our
    country.

    More importantly, they come
    to improve their lives and create a foundation of success for their children to
    build upon, as did the author’s grandparents when they landed at Ellis Island
    in 1899 after losing 2 children to disease on a cramped cattle car-like sailing
    from Europe to the Land of Opportunity. Many bring skills and a willingness to
    work hard to make their dreams a reality, something our founders did four
    hundred years ago. In describing America, chapter after chapter chronicles “foreigners”
    who became successful in the US and contributed to our society. However, most
    struggle in their efforts and need guidance in Anytown, USA. Perhaps intelligent
    immigration reform, White House/Congress and business/labor cooperation, concerned
    citizens and books like this can extend a helping hand, the same unwavering
    hand, lest we forget, that has been the anchor and lighthouse of American
    values for four hundred years.

    Here’s a closing quote from thebook’s Intro: “With all of our cultural differences though, you’ll be surprised to learn how much…we as human beings have in common on this little third rock from the sun. After all, the song played at our Disneyland parks around the
    world is ‘It’s A Small World After All.’ Peace.”

  4. EricBC

    Housing needs will rise at increasing pace in South East, NOT as a consequence of further immigration but as consequence of
    1. Present overcrowding and drift to the capital.
    2. High fertility among immigrant families arriving 1970-2010
    3. 3rd generation changeovers away from intensive extended family living to nuclear households.

    Second generation immigrants from extended family cultures tend to conform and stay at home in what many (but not all)third generation consider to be overcrowded and uncomfortable conditions. A high percentage of third generation make the break to independent living.(The stuff of novels).

    Consequence is, in any area of high density immigration of premodern families, as third generation reaches adulthood, demand for separate dwellings increases VERY rapidly.

    Brownfield sites do NOT mean less land required overall. Folk also need places of work, schools, hospitals, parks etc.

    And from time beyond memory, those looking for places to live do not care much for the rights or preferences of those occupying the land around them. So, over next two decades the South-East is heading for suburban sprawl of another 1000 square miles at around 4000 per square mile as overall demand for new dwellings averages around 50,000 per annum and planning under coming Governments enact rapid housebuilding programmes.

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