Migrant problem in Kent/Sussex

[Deleted member 16999]

Its just a suggestion Paul. The current tried and tested method fails miserably, so why not just accept that some are coming and actually work with them to find a solution.

Oh don’t get me wrong Bri, I think it’s a good idea, but it’s the future strategey and stopping the hundreds of thousands coming every year that needs addressing.

It probably needs a solution that no one would be completely happy with.

 

[Griffsters]

Last year there were net 280,000 non-EU migrants, and there's news reports of more coming over the channel.

The British farmers are desperately short of pickers. Should the UK offer the migrants work to offset the cost of staying and, bearing in mind 90% of them end up staying. make it a prerequisite of staying permanently, i.e. x amount of community work/harvesting?

I agree, my experience of migrants is that most want to work and many come with desirable skills - one being work ethic. IMHO it would be better to fast track integration into much needed areas of work depending on their skill set. Make them feel that they are contributing as part of society, paying much needed taxes that we will all ultimately benefit from as our society ages. A whole host of benefits for us all. (yes that is a pun).

 

[Griffsters]

Oh don’t get me wrong Bri, I think it’s a good idea, but it’s the future strategey and stopping the hundreds of thousands coming every year that needs addressing.

It probably needs a solution that no one would be completely happy with.

For me its about doing what is right, which most definitely is often not the popular or easiest route!

 

[Griffsters]

on the subject of migration, i see there was big jump in the numbers from outside the EU in the figures today.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...t-level-brexit-ons-figures-work-a9362531.html

this must be what the Gov meant by taking back control of our Borders

Interesting that this is coming to fruition. It was widely expected as our country needs immigration whether some people like it or not. Its how we manage it that is critical

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Last year there were net 280,000 non-EU migrants, and there's news reports of more coming over the channel.

The British farmers are desperately short of pickers. Should the UK offer the migrants work to offset the cost of staying and, bearing in mind 90% of them end up staying. make it a prerequisite of staying permanently, i.e. x amount of community work/harvesting?

Pickers are needed for how long? Two months, three? On low wages that can not really cover genuine accommodation costs going forward, I'm sure most have seen the lovely places pickers can actually afford are expected to share ?. What happens after the season ends? I'm not sure linking fruit picking to this adds up.

 

[Taz]

So instead of paying the traffikers £5K to come over, they pay UK Gov, £5K to get in, there would be Q's from here to Iran.... Hang on there already is.

 

[Hobbit]

Pickers are needed for how long? Two months, three? On low wages that can not really cover genuine accommodation costs going forward, I'm sure most have seen the lovely places pickers can actually afford are expected to share ?. What happens after the season ends? I'm not sure linking fruit picking to this adds up.

Here in Spain anyone on benefits has one month to find a job. If unsuccessful they do community work, often litter picking throughout the towns and villages. Imagine giving 20 immigrants paint brushes and telling them they have to paint the town hall/schools. There are ways to make it pay... think beyond the box. Accept that immigrants are going to arrive. Rather than have them go "underground," embrace it and make it pay.

 

[CliveW]

Pickers are needed for how long? Two months, three? On low wages that can not really cover genuine accommodation costs going forward, I'm sure most have seen the lovely places pickers can actually afford are expected to share ?. What happens after the season ends? I'm not sure linking fruit picking to this adds up.

It is just not the picking season that we need workers on farms. From the beginning of the year we need folk to plant, erect poly tunnels, install irrigation systems, then pick, pack and dispatch soft fruit. Once the strawberry season is in full swing, there is the raspberry season followed by the gooseberry season and the blackcurrant season. Since the whole Brexit situation and the pound crashing against the Euro, it is no longer worthwhile for Eastern Europeans to come here to work on the farms as they now earn more on the European mainland.

 

[SocketRocket]

Last year there were net 280,000 non-EU migrants, and there's news reports of more coming over the channel.

The British farmers are desperately short of pickers. Should the UK offer the migrants work to offset the cost of staying and, bearing in mind 90% of them end up staying. make it a prerequisite of staying permanently, i.e. x amount of community work/harvesting?

A great number of non EU migrant numbers are students from China and India. It would present a better picture if students were reported separately.

 

[Hobbit]

A great number of non EU migrant numbers are students from China and India. It would present a better picture if students were reported separately.

So its not that much of a problem then.

Deduct the students. Then deduct those that travel to the UK legally, and you're left with 2 men and a dog? But you get my drift. So what's the problem?

 

[SocketRocket]

It is just not the picking season that we need workers on farms. From the beginning of the year we need folk to plant, erect poly tunnels, install irrigation systems, then pick, pack and dispatch soft fruit. Once the strawberry season is in full swing, there is the raspberry season followed by the gooseberry season and the blackcurrant season. Since the whole Brexit situation and the pound crashing against the Euro, it is no longer worthwhile for Eastern Europeans to come here to work on the farms as they now earn more on the European mainland.

Who did these picking jobs historically?

 

[SocketRocket]

So its not that much of a problem then.

Deduct the students. Then deduct those that travel to the UK legally, and you're left with 2 men and a dog? But you get my drift. So what's the problem?

I'm not sure how many foreign students return after university. I guess if the migration numbers we are given are net then most remain.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Here in Spain anyone on benefits has one month to find a job. If unsuccessful they do community work, often litter picking throughout the towns and villages. Imagine giving 20 immigrants paint brushes and telling them they have to paint the town hall/schools. There are ways to make it pay... think beyond the box. Accept that immigrants are going to arrive. Rather than have them go "underground," embrace it and make it pay.

Can you imagine the uproar over here if that was suggested? I have no issue with this, it would apply across the board I assume, but the outrage would be a sight to behold.

 

[patricks148]

Interesting that this is coming to fruition. It was widely expected as our country needs immigration whether some people like it or not. Its how we manage it that is critical

what like when they came to power set a target to reduce imigration, which they missed every year since, lets not forget laying off a large number of Border force staff.

The tories like to talk tough on it without actually doing anything, yet their followers lap it up

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It is just not the picking season that we need workers on farms. From the beginning of the year we need folk to plant, erect poly tunnels, install irrigation systems, then pick, pack and dispatch soft fruit. Once the strawberry season is in full swing, there is the raspberry season followed by the gooseberry season and the blackcurrant season. Since the whole Brexit situation and the pound crashing against the Euro, it is no longer worthwhile for Eastern Europeans to come here to work on the farms as they now earn more on the European mainland.

Most of those jobs are done by farm hands, fully employed. You don't need those in any number. You only need the bigger numbers for the picking and that is a relatively short period, part of the reason it is unattractive to many, there are other reasons as well to be fair.

 

[drdel]

So its not that much of a problem then.

Deduct the students. Then deduct those that travel to the UK legally, and you're left with 2 men and a dog? But you get my drift. So what's the problem?

I can't imagine you are serious. Give illegals job, might as well hang green lights at the border. Traffickers would have a 'marketing' boost, illegal actions must not be rewarded

Spain's solution won't work, population density is widely different.

 

[Hobbit]

I can't imagine you are serious. Give illegals job, might as well hang green lights at the border. Traffickers would have a 'marketing' boost, illegal actions must not be rewarded

Spain's solution won't work, population density is widely different.

Yes I am very serious. Think out of the box. "We'll legalise your stay if you tell us your contacts for getting here. Who did you pay, who got you to the French coast and who put you on a boat? If what you tell us pans out, that ticks one box."

What's your solution? More of the same? That's really proven to have worked well hasn't it.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Yes I am very serious. Think out of the box. "We'll legalise your stay if you tell us your contacts for getting here. Who did you pay, who got you to the French coast and who put you on a boat? If what you tell us pans out, that ticks one box."

What's your solution? More of the same? That's really proven to have worked well hasn't it.

The problem there is usually the people on the boat are usually only part of a family. They are sent ahead, the rest follow when settled. The traffickers are not nice people, they may well have contacts that would threaten those family members. I reckon there is a good reason people are not spilling the beans.

Sorry, I keep giving negatives. There will be things to look at, left field thinking as you suggest. You are right, the current system is not working and we need to try other ideas.

 

[Griffsters]

what like when they came to power set a target to reduce imigration, which they missed every year since, lets not forget laying off a large number of Border force staff.

The tories like to talk tough on it without actually doing anything, yet their followers lap it up

Honestly Patrick, I can't tell you how hard i'm trying here to not start talking politics

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Honestly Patrick, I can't tell you how hard i'm trying here to not start talking politics

Stay with us please, we need folk like you on here